Zoollpaper (Working Title)

Zoollpaper, aprox. 5 x 5', mixed media

I have another process video! This time I decided to post on viddler and youtube. The viddler is much better quality. Click here to see the process video.

So you might recognise the image. This is a painting done from You Name it No. 1. This image is one of my favorite I have done this year so I decided to make it very big. When i began working on this piece I had a completely different image in mind. I did not plan it very well so i ended up gessoing over the painting I was working on and doing this painting. You will witness the under-painting in the video.

This flower is a collaged wall paper I composed for the first painting. It was perfect because all of the roses left a wonderful texture underneath the gesso. The white gesso enabled you to see the different planes of paper. I got the rose wallpaper idea when Marty and I visited the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago.




I never realized how much I paint elephants--an unintentional theme. I love mixed media. I feel so much better when my painting table is covered with oil sticks, oil pastels, my graphite stick, sting gel and glue. As a very tactile artist, being able to touch all of these textures is important to my process. In this piece I used all of the media I listed above.




I love this little square with the bird. I loved it in You Name It No. 1 and I still love it. This part of the painting is so hidden yet so potent. The bid is the only piece of collage from the original collage source, I created the rest of it in this painting. Also, I love being able to see the layers the artist went through to get to the final product. Part of my sketch is prominently displayed here.




The oil sticks made this painting. With my chunks of skin/stone I used tons of different flesh tones. As I was placing these patches of color on the surface of the paining i ws worried, it was a haphazard endeavour. True to my love for oil paint, this brown, gooey stick smudged exactly how I needed it to, unifying the multitude of flesh tone.

While I was painting this piece I had the privlege to help my friend Jason create his first painting (which is amazing, you can see that later). It was wonderful to have another person around while I was painting and it was great hearing both conceptual and visual input as I was painting.

Some points to ponder while viewing this piece" Where the arrow is pointing. Where the bird if flying? From where if the bird flying. Stone/brick or skin? Escaped? Trapped? What is a pet? Sides of society. Grass vs. stone = ? Skin tone. Ethnicity.

That is just an abstract of our discussion. I would love to get your input. My favorite thing about painting these pieces with lots going on beyond the pretty picture is to here what everyone sees. Please tell me what you see! Your comments will spark more wonderful ideas!

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My first opening in Chicago will be at Flourish Studios Saturday May, 10, 2008 from 6-9. There will be wine and wonderful art by Casey Searles, Andrew Heber and Kate Korroch (thats me!). Mark your calendar and look forward to lots of wonderful artwork!