A Year in the Making

Gathering the leaves from the Male Cottonwood on our property. 

 A photo of the female cottonwood from our neighbors property, created as an image transfer. Three coats of polymer medium to build up a skin to be then fused and transfer to the wood panel substrate.

 Cottonwood leaves with more decomposing going on.  wanted to ad a variety of the leaves colors at this time of year. These photo's will be turned into photo image transfers too.  Some smaller in size.

 There is black paper already fused on, painted deli papers that is and then the drawing paper that I added lines to and a glazing before I fused the leaves on and completed the image transfer for process.  I plan on some acrylic splatters of color not sure what I'm going to pick yet...it will come to me.

 The painted horse will be a buff color and white.   This one is taken from a photo image of a Painted horse at Fitzjoy Horseriding stables.   I was 2 month into taking lessons when I found out one of the managers there lost her horse, Cloud.  it was so sad... So because I'm doing painted horse as my subject matter in this series and in a variety of colors. I have chosen Cloud markings  as my guide for this one. Hard to see on the drawing board here (light and glare) but in process.. I noticed that Cloud has a dark brownish black spot on his mouth area...wanted to make sure I put that in...odd but unique.  I will cut long piece for the mane and tail then do a glazing...Hoping to work on it today before I pack up for the workshop this weekend.

 The large paper under the stack of other papers was on my drawing table for sometime...it is created over a few months of working on the surface then I scribe in and stamp on it, muck up a bit more.  I then coat well on both sides with the polymer and  it becomes ready to use in the collage. I've done this also a paper being used in each of these so far.

 I've giving myself the assignment of completing three of these painted mares....pushing myself out of the square format into rectangle of 24 x 36 wood panel.  There's a whole lot going on in them...

  Cutting out leaves....many more yet to cut. 

 My first painted mare and tree symbol, shaggy bark hickory.. I saw a horse there at the stable every time I came on Wednesday nights a gentleman would curry and brush her out and then take her out for a ride. Beautiful thing she/he was..not sure but my paint is a female.

Second one,  Chestnut colored paint and Oak tree symbolism here was also a painted horse there with these markings..I can see my horseback riding adventure in lessons this years has gently been an inspiration.


I have to admit this project has been taking sometime....and it's hard to pull off the ideas and then get back on them...and when I say or give myself an assignment,  I  95% of the time finish it. And after I'm over half way done I question why???...much like the Creative process...quote below.

Might it be where most give up or give in and not follow through   The thing is there is a story that needs to be shared through these pieces...I kind of got the ideas but when I complete them I'm sure it will reveal itself even more..Of course their different or coming from a different direction then my Tack Down Tuesdays pieces.... those are just visual spillage of emotion, mood, worldly thoughts and commitment to a weekly creative session.   Telling a story with the symbolism  is what I would say...or the word Abstract Narrative collage works.

Narrative art is art that tells a story, either as a moment in an ongoing story or as a sequence of events unfolding over time. Some of the earliest evidence of human art suggests that people told stories with pictures.


did a quick Google search on Narrative Art....and found this  first thing on the search Narrative Art...and this....Dale Fairbanks

And then there is a new introduction I've happened upon...Mary Heilman...from Art21 Looking at pictures   House and Studio  Inspiration  

Why share it....Oh I don't know...some good points and keeps me going as an woman artist, wife, mother...all the richness we live goes into our art and art then goes into others lives...truely connected in a very primal way.

Rambles...time for a walk in the woods and a day of creating and packing...all good and all will be OK in the end. Thank you Great Spirit among us all.