My Journey with the Angels- First Paintings

In this post I will show several of the paintings that began this series.   The United Cerebral Palsy Center in Los Angeles was having a fundraiser in August 2013 and I was asked to donate a 6"x6" painting.  This was just the inspiration I needed to begin my journey.

Giving Spirit      Oil    6" x 6" 

Destroyed

Then I painted this one,  but remember that I destroyed it because I was feeling a insecure about the idea of painting angels.  There have been a lot of questions like, what am I trying to say about them, what do I really feel about them, WHY am I painting them etc.   That painting turned into Guardian 3 somehow. 

Guardian 3  Oil  9x12

These paintings, as well as the next three paintings demonstrate a variety of style explored as I journey into this world of abstract painting.  It starts to get exciting for me, because I start to realize why I am so driven to do this.  While painting Guardian 4, I recalled how St. Peter was weak (denying Jesus 3 times)  until he received the Holy Spirit, and then went on to fearlessly spread the word of Jesus.  It helps me to remember that I am, as St. Peter was, only human and can not do it alone.  This is an example of powerful messages and thoughts I get while painting.  Sometimes it is just the joy of painting.

Guardian 4  or St. Peter      Oil   11 x 14

Guardian 5   Oil  11 x 14

Guardian 6  or   Vine and Branches    Oil   8 x 24

My Journey with the Angels-Guardian 11

It is amazing how the act of creating a painting uses different parts of the heart and brain.  Here is what I recall most about the development of Guardian 11:

This series has been a quest to take chances for my growth on many levels.  After  a while of applying colors and values etc., there was a time in the painting when I was challenged to use green, which my reason told me was going to clash with the colors I have used already.  So, I put in green.  Immediately I thought of my niece Natalie,  who loves green.  Said a quick prayer for her and continued.  The image below may not be at that exact moment, but it is my earliest photo of the process.

 Sure enough, an warrior like figure began to emerge and some of my thoughts were of the indigenous people of America and their quest for the Spirit and thought why not an Indian Angel?

 So I found my Spirit and continued adding to the form what I thought of as physical strength and courage.  As the painting came to a finish, my husband saw the "red blob" in the center and suggested a heart.

 

 Thanks to today's technology of cameras on cell phones, it is easy to record  paintings as they progress.  The only difficult part is getting into the habit of remembering to do so.   It is so interesting for me to revisit the different stages of my paintings, a practice I fully recommend to other artist. 

My Journey with the Angels- Part one: past sculptures

The subject of "Angel" has been a long time interest, but I really haven't made much of it.  I am finding that other artist feel the same:  an interest but not much work on the subject.   It is kind of an intimidating subject on many levels.  Why is that?   Below are some small sculptures I created a few years back.  They were a demonstration of FSB clay and its ability to hold a form with out an armature.  The clay is very rough with a lot of grog and sand.  These are small, about 9" tall.  When I began the demonstration, I really didn't know what I was going to make. They just "poured" out of me. 

FSB or Fullerton Sculpture Body can be purchased at Aardvark Clay in Santa Ana, California.

Same clay, different style.  This sculpture was created as a prayer as I awaited the birth of a grand-daughter.

Retirement? No way!

Last December was my last semester teaching Fine Art for the local colleges.  I wanted to step back from "teaching" and break rules.  I hit the ground running with a series of oil paintings inspired by the Ocean.  I went to different beaches in Laguna painting and sketching, then returned to the studio to create paintings that captured the energy of the sea.  Meanwhile, I have been working on a new series which is more abstract.  Posts soon to follow:)

Captured Light      24x30

Driven by the Spirit    18x24

Picnic Beach    18x24

Rising Tide    18x24

Tablerock at High Tide    24x30 

 These are just a few of the 9x12 oil sketches done in the process.

Latest project: San Clemente Public Art
This is one of 5 Light Utility boxes selected to be painted this year by the City of San Clemente, Ca.   The box I painted is located on Camino de los Mares and the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center-San Clemente.  To see a video by Roger Merril of all the artists and their work, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/SanClementeCommunity#!/photo.php?v=430505087045430&set=vb.526258914074607&type=2&theater.

BUCKET LIST

THE BUCKET LIST OF A 40 YEAR OLD WHO PLANS O LIVING TO 140 YEARS OLD

Attending a 3 day CAC (California Art Club) Sculpt-in, I sculpted this figure and met a great group of sculptors.  Knowing time was limited, I set a personal goal of experimenting with resin clay over water based clay.

This is the finished clay sketch, which was fragile as you can see the head fell off. 

I added the resin clay to the weaker areas first and attached the head.  It worked out great!

The patina is metal coating with m20 accents.   

TRANSITIONAL OPPOSITES IN HARMONY, bronze.

Synergy at work, as I was finishing up, I received a call for artist to submit to a juried show callled "Spiral Bound: The Spiritual Journey of Ageing."  BUCKET LIST as well as TRANSITIONAL OPPOSITES IN HARMONY were accepted.

http://FrontPorchGalleryCA.blogspot.com .

WE'RE OFF TO JOIN THE CIRCUS

Well, maybe we will just stay home.  I am so excited about my new outdoor studio.  Rich and I put our heads, hearts and hands together to create this new 12 x 20 foot work space; all for around $100. 

We have a large cemented side yard.  The previous owners had some eye hooks in the eaves.  I bought a 12x20 foot tarp and used my workbench as a base for a support beam.  with a little help from some old umbrella stands, voila!  

Rich tightening up the turn buckles.  This technique  was inspired  from his ham radio days putting up antenna.

My current indoor studio is nice but I really needed some work space for my larger sculpture. Notice the access to the driveway, with easy load access to a truck for the large sculpture.

I also have a view to my "Fairy Garden," which hasn't been planted yet, but will be a lot of fun.