Flight of Fancy [16'x20', mixed media on 1.5" gallery wrap canvas]

This is my submission to the Federation of Canadian Artist's upcoming juried exhibition called "Muse".  What is it that drives you to create?  We all have a muse...whether we're creating a perfect report for a school project, the perfect Saskatoon berry pie [yum!], or a piece of art.

Sometimes I just feel like throwing colour around so I make "starts".  This canvas began months ago with a lot of random colours and shapes.  One day I picked it back up and imposed a grid system and, as I doodled and glazed I began to see a blue shape emerging.... a "Flight of Fancy".  You can see this piece at the FCA gallery on Vancouver's Granville Island from June 6-18, 2017.  If you're in the Vancouver area drop by and check it out!

Texture Samples

I'm currently working on 3 paintings based on monoprint starts. None are complete yet but I wanted to show you a couple of examples of texture I created with the stamp I carved just a few days ago.

These samples are part of a monoprint I did last weekend. The process uses Yupo (plastic paper) as a printing plate. Paint is applied to the Yupo paper and then a variety of tools are used to manipulate the paint: dry foam roller to flatten brush ridges, lifting paint with a brush, toothbrush spatter, cotton lace imprints/lifts, stamps positive and negative... if it makes a mark it can be used on the Yupo.

After the artist decides the Yupo paper printing plate is complete, printing paper (soaked for 3-5 minutes and then blotted) is laid on the plate and a baren (or flat spoon) is used to hand rub the paper. The water in the paper activates the watercolor paint on the Yupo plate and the rubbing transfers the paint to the printing paper. After the monoprint is made a second print can be done the same way but the second print is called a "ghost" and is much weaker in color and value than the monoprint. At the end of the monoprinting process there are 2 or 3 pieces that can be developed into art works; the Yupo plate, the monoprint and the ghost (if printed).

These are examples of the same stamp used positively (above left) and negatively (above right). A positive stamp is straightforward - dip the stamp in paint and press it on the paper. The negative stamp is a lifting process. A moistened stamp is applied to the Yupo plate over an area previously painted. Tissue or paper towel is laid over the wetted area, then a bit of wax paper laid atop that before rolling a brayer on top. The tissue adhers to the wet paint and when it is lifted the shape shows up in relief against the painted background. Enjoy!