Hit or Miss

Hit or Miss, 36x36

Thought I would post an image of my most recently finished canvas (at least I'm thinking it's finished).

It's a large canvas--36"x36".  That's a lot of surface to cover, but lately I've been finding the larger pieces easier to work on than the small. 

It belongs to the same series as the last one I posted.  Again, a primary palette of Payne's Gray, with Alizarin Crimson. I think it has a very atmospheric feeling to it.  I was trying to communicate a sense of foreboding, of possible turbulence within. I was thinking of those moments when it feels like life is about to blow up in your face.  Sometimes you ride out the storm without incident. Other times, it does feel like the grenade you've been holding has just detonated.

I'm interested in how in those moments you strive to find calm in the presence of terror. Have you ever been aware of those moments? Do you know what I mean?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

And here's a detailed image that gives you some idea of the texture in the piece:

Working in gray...

Why Does It Hurt So Bad,  30x30, acrylic on canvas

 One of the things I've learned over time about my painting habits is that my color palette changes with the seasons--at least the dominant colors that I work with. As the fall turns into winter, I start using more gray. It's been that way for three years now.

It's sort of an instinctual process...one that I initially resisted, because I generally work with a lot of bold colors. But I've learned to trust my instincts and I feel that as a result my work has become much richer. 

But why gray? When I look out my studio windows, during the all-too-frequent cloudy days we endure here during a typical Minnesota winter, I see gray cloudy skies. So it is in part a reflection of the natural world that surrounds me. (Sometimes I wonder if I lived elsewhere, would my color palette change. I think it absolutely would. When I visited Santa Fe in December I couldn't help but notice the beautiful blue skies so different from our Minnesota skies...and knew that if I lived there, there wouldn't be so much gray in my work).

Winter and its gray cloudy skies feel dreary (to me). I much prefer sun. But winter also seems like a natural time to hibernate a bit and struggle with life's darker side. And that has been part of my work in gray--giving creative voice to that inner struggle with some of life's darker issues. Sometimes I think by painting in gray I am trying to find the beauty and grace in not just the color, but the struggle. 

As I wrote earlier, I have been returning to this gray palette for three winters now. There are several different "series" within my gray abstractions work (check out my Portfolio). As I start to work more intentionally on building a body of work for exhibition, I am looking at current and earlier work...deciding which series to expand and build on. I'm also trying to "think" more about what this work "means" and how to "talk" about that with an audience. 

I hope to share some of my thoughts here and will gratefully welcome feedback.

Daily Paintworks venture

Midnight Fire

6" x 6", acrylic on canvas

One of my new ventures in 2012 is opening a new online shoppe at Daily Paintworks. I wanted an online opportunity to offer some of my artwork for purchase and Etsy just wasn't cutting it. After doing a little research, I decided to go with Daily Paintworks.

Daily Paintworks features the works of painters only. While the site was originally launched to feature the work of painters that develop a studio practice of finishing a daily painting, the site has now expanded to include all painters working in various mediums, from oil to acrylic to watercolor and more. Each painter has their own gallery page where they feature their work and can offer paintings for purchase via a set price or auction. 

What sold me on the site was the incredible zoom feature--if you move the mouse over the image of the painting, the highlighted section is magnified and shows off the color and texture of the piece. It is amazing! Daily Paintworks is the only site I've seen with this feature and it really shows off the art. I also think it is a relatively simple process to upload your images and listings.

 

 Midnight Fire II

 6" x 6", acrylic on canvas

So I have listed some paintings, including the two I've pictured here. I am iniatially listing some paintings for auction with a relatively low starting bid to hopefully draw some interest to my page. I am very excited to say I have already sold a couple of paintings! (Hurry! These two auctions end tomorrow and the paintings are still available for the starting bid of $25/each.)  

I don't think any artist truly loves the selling/marketing part of being an artist. I feel awkward "promoting" myself, but it is a necessary evil! And this girl needs to buy some paint! 

So this is my little promo to give you a heads up on where you can view some of my work that is available for purchase. You can go directly to my Daily Paintworks gallery by clicking on the shop link at the top of this page. (Of course, always feel free to inquire about any artwork you see on this site). You can also "follow" me at my Artist Facebook page--https://www.facebook.com/risatritabaugh--for updates on my Daily Paintworks listings.

And thank you, for "listening" to my little self-marketing pitch!

Art of Recovery

 

Kitty Squeakers checking out what I was up to--taking photos of artwork

This week, besides fighting the same dang cold, I took a brief break from painting to get four of my paintings ready to take in to be part of the Art of Recovery exhibit (artwork needed to be delivered this week).  This exhibit features work by Minnesota artists--writers, visual artists, composers...who have been victims of crime and have used art as a means to respond, explore, express, or heal.

Many years ago, another lifetime really, I was in an abusive marriage. I got myself out, but the healing was slow. I had lost my art...for a time. Finding my way back to making art was a crucial step in my healing.

And these paintings tell the story of my journey. A journey out a place of hurting to a place of empowerment.

 

The Mother Goddess, 24" x 18"

This exhibit seems like a good place to share them. To get them ready to exhibit, I needed to paint the sides of the canvas (something I was not in the habit to do at the time I painted these...but now always do).  I also made sure to take some new photos of the work.

Like a Phoenix Rising, 30" x 24"

It was a little like getting my babies ready to leave the nest. I wanted them to look good and be ready for their journey. I know that might sounds silly, but these paintings are very close to my heart.

Force of Nature  22" x 28"

And so they are gone for the next several months. The exhibit opens at the MN State Arts Board on April 20th. It will be on exhibit thru June 29th. Some of the pieces may be chosen to travel to outstate exhibits during the summer.

So now I return to painting. I'll have more news about this exhibit as the time approaches.

(Footnote: Editor is acting up and not saving this post as I would like...I can't get the spacing I want! So I'm tossing my arms up in frustration, making the post public, and will come back later when Editor is more agreeable!)

Playing with Watercolors

The cold I'm fighting seems to have the upper hand right now. I started off the day with a little work on canvas, but could tell my body just wasn't going to hold up to doing canvas work. I work standing up and somewhat bent over--with my cavas on a table.

So, it was a good day to pull out the watercolors. I can sit and paint. I had some fun creating these Buddha-inspired faces. I think the small one (6"x6") is a Frida-inspired Buddha--look at the uno-brow!