1142 Hidden Treasures

 I really loved making this piece!  I felt free as a bird and didn't plan what was happening  at the time, but I like the end result.

1141 Attention Seekers

 This color palette is a little different than my usual, but I love the relationship between the orange and blue-green.  I found three of the items at resale shops or flea markets while in Florida. 

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1141-attention-seekers/987758

1140 Tampa, FLA

 These recent abstracts share the same color palette because they were all begun at the same time.  Working on several paintings at a time frees the artist from becoming fixated, obsessed with, or fussy with any one painting.  There might be a couple more, but I am eager to move on to a larger format in a different color way,

The frame is available for purchase, too.

1139 Truth and Reasoning

 

I'm really enjoying this abstract work and am getting a lot of mileage out of the paint on my palette that's been leftover from another painting.  I'm particularly enjoying finding just the right postage stamp for each painting, which comes in handy when thinking of a title.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1139-truth-and-reasoning/986745

1138. Pray For Peace

 

Hello Friends,

As you know, I just recently completed an online workshop with Judy Woods in which abstract painting/mixed media/collage were the focus.  I enjoyed it very much and decided to continue on my own.  This piece came together quite quickly, and I am happy with the results.  I had planned on naming it "The Sea Around Us" which was an except from the piece of collage paper used.  But then I found the old postage stamp with the words "Pray For Peace" which is so timely right now.

The cost of the stamp was 4 cents, (and I just discovered we don't even have the "cents" symbol on our keyboards anymore), and though the photo states 1960 Providence R.I. , I don't know if that is the year of the drawing on the stamp or the year the stamp was issued.  Either way, the 1960's brought many reasons for people to pray for peace:  Cold War (1947-1991, Vietnam War (1955-1975), Indo-Pakistani War ((1965), Arab-Israeli "conflict" (early 20th century - present) and including the Six Day War  between Israel, Jordan, Syria and Egypt.  (1967).

Please pray for peace and the Ukranian people.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1138-pray-for-peace/986581

Auction for Ukraine

 Hello Friends,

Daily Paintworks is conducting an art auction to benefit Ukraine and I am happy to participate.  This painting, 1065 Twinkle Twinkle received the most activity last year on my Daily Paintworks account, so I am hoping that someone will purchase it.  I have chosen Mercy Corps and/or UNICEF as the recipient of the sale price.  There are many beautiful paintings for auction.  Mine starts today and runs for 7 days, so others have been posted earlier, and I expect some later.  The minimum bid is $50 for my painting, or "buy it now" for $150.

Please take a look and open your hearts and your wallets.  Place a bid.  You never know--you may win the painting of your choice-- all for a good cause.  It's very easy.  

1.  Go to dailypaintworks.com

2.  Click on the "Art for Ukraine" box at the top;

3.  At the bottom of that page, click on "Participate in the fund" to see the artwork available.  Click on the one you'd like to bid on and follow the instructions.  It's very easy.

I am hoping that my artist friends will also participate in the auction.  You do not have to be a DPW artist to participate.

Thank you for your consideration.

Bravely Unveiling the Abstracts

 Hello Friends,

I must admit that I dreaded finishing up the three abstracts because I was afraid of all those nasty voices in my head telling me I couldn't do it.  But I really wanted to post the finished product to the "class" before it was over and am happy that I did.  Surprisingly, this was not difficult for me.  I guess I was in the right "it's only paint and paper/be brave/explore/take some risks" frame of mind.  It wasn't even painful to cover up the flower outline that I liked so much, while leaving hints of the other two images.  

I would be eager to hear your opinions. 

Being brave paid off. I'm happy.

1133. Lucky Find

 I just received the next instructive video on how to proceed with the abstracts, so in the meantime.....

I found this urn at a flea market in Florida and can imagine it being a part of many still life paintings.  I love the colors and texture of verdigris and it's always fun to paint.   I was also lucky to find the little oranges with leaves at Whole Foods, which doesn't happen all the time, so timing was good.

I'll keep you posted on the abstract progress.  

"What if???"

 

Today's lesson and instruction in the third video of the abstract workshop I'm taking via Zoom encourages us to be "brave, take risks, explore, after all, it's only paint and paper," all really good advice.   And today I had that AHA moment when I realized that my 12 years of Catholic education certainly did not foster that mindset in me.  When I was growing up, breaking the rules was a HUGE no-no, and the first real problem with that came not until I was in in college when I pursued an art degree.  My professors, I now realize, were looking for the above-mentioned mind set, and they hated my work, which they likened to the cover of a Hallmark card.  I took that as a compliment, which of course it wasn't.

So first off, I think I was subconsciously rebellious with yesterday's assignment because apparently I didn't follow the instructions.  No problem.  The new "Me" sloughed it off to my new "be brave" attitude.  So I bravely winged it.  The assignment was to go crazy in the black section with paint, mark making and tape, then cover it with black paint (why? one might ask),  and then mute a little of the light section.  These photos show my results, and please know that posting this stage of work takes bravery.  

I should confess, and I so rarely share anything personal, that when I paint, I listen to the news or other talk talk talk, which quiets my left (analytical) brain and allows me to zone out in Right Brain Space.  Today, during this painting session, guess what I listened to.  Let's Go Crazy, by Prince.  (Here is where my kids are cringing, or at least rolling their eyes.  

I am excited to see where these three experiments will go.  I am eager to attack the light parts with gusto.  I have a feeling that I'll be listening to a lot of Prince and my sincere hope is that I will indeed "go crazy."

It's a StART....

 Hello friends,

I'm taking an abstract workshop on Zoom with a New Zealand artist whose work I admire.  She is teaching us her process, so I'm just following instructions.  The initial process up to this point is to paint the paper,  scratch out marks with a screwdriver or other object, paint some shapes, and collage some interesting papers.  I made some of my own papers, so I feel better about that.  I'll keep you posted on the progress.  I have a feeling there are drastic steps ahead.

diane

1133. Just What the Doctor Ordered

 Winters here in the Midwest can be long and dreary.  Even though we flew to warmer weather for  a few weeks, returning home to cold, snow, ice and grey skies---in addition to all that is going on in the world--was depressing.  It's funny to think that a bunch of tulips can lift your spirits, giving you the promise of Spring and flowers growing in our own yards.   I can hardly wait.

Artists all over the world are painting sunflowers, which is Ukraine's national flower.  While I have not yet painted sunflowers for Ukraine, I will hope for now that my tulips will represent hope for peace and the end of this savage destruction.