"Newspaper cast Sunflower Trio" © Saundra Lane Galloway

 "Newspaper cast Sunflower Trio"

12x12" cradled board

acrylic, paper casts, wax collage

This is a compilation of a lot of different things that I feel pretty good about!  This piece is created on a 12x12" cradled wood panel.  I began by painting a background with acrylics and then stamped and painted...I then added my sunflower paper casts made from newspaper with vintage buttons for the centers.  Debuting on this piece is my version of a black bird...perching on one of the sunflowers...And...it is all encased in wax...Which, by the way, is very sturdy...won't melt on a hot day!!  This will be available in the EYE CANDY section of my website when I am absolutely SURE I am finished! I have to play with this one in my mind for a bit longer...

Today is a fun day for me...CAROL NELSON posted her portrait of ME as #75 in her 100 portraits series.  I just LOVE IT!!  Carol was able to capture the fun, goofy, childlike side of me...:)  JUST WHAT I WANTED!!  I am SO excited that I had to post it here again, though I encourage you to click on Carol's name above to see her blog and her other wonderful portraits!

ME...by Carol Nelson...:)

Just a reminder to those followers that want to participate in my challenge blog...look at my ZOO pics from two posts ago, choose one, paint it and send it to me via e-mail (art4life44@hotmail.com) and I will choose from those entries and one of you will win one of my 4x4 contest choices!!  YIPPEE!

And...NEW things on the horizon!  If you will look on the sidebar of my blog you will see a widget for Fine Art America.  This is a new site I am very excited to be a member of where you can order prints or cards of my paintings!  Since I've only JUST joined I've only posted a few of my paintings...SO, if there is anyone interested in exploring the idea of ordering a print or cards of any of my work, e-mail me at the address above and tell me which one you want to consider and I will add it to the site a.s.a.p!  Just for you!! :)

HAPPY DAYS A FOOT!!  and...as always...welcome to my newest followers...and

HAPPY CREATING!!

"Sunflower Lines" © Saundra Lane Galloway

 

 "Sunflower Lines" 

12x6" cradled panel

Acrylic and paper cast from newspaper with vintage buttons

Available in the EYE CANDY section of my WEBSITE.

I finished "Sunflower Lines" today.  I added a few lines of sunflower to the top to complete the composition.  This simple piece turned out to be a fun one.  I added beads to the center to just bring a little bling to the focus area.

I then began to work with the raw newspaper sunflowers...playing with different applications and possibilities.  I enjoy the blackbirds stamped to the surface, and found more vintage buttons to give the centers a little different application.  HOWEVER, as I suspected, when adding the wax the newspaper darkened and therefore no longer worked on the dark, rather realistic background I had painted, so it is back to the drawing board for how I may apply them to a support.  I believe I COULD have sealed the raw newspaper with spray sealer and it may not have darkened the paper...but to be sure I will need to make more and experiment again.  Sometimes all the experimenting makes for a long day, but in the end to be able to understand what different applications will do to the surface will be worthwhile!  PATIENCE I keep chanting to myself.

Still not sure what I will do with these, if anything...The value in this was the lesson learned!!

We had almost 2' again yesterday with the latest storm...that makes over 44" for the last week in snow!  When it needs to be shoveled it is exhausting along with beautiful! Schools in the area were cancelled so I was home today working in my "lab".  Not a bad day after all!

HAPPY CREATING!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY a little early!

 

"Pink Passion" © Saundra Lane Galloway Fine Art

4x4" wax collage

What better way to say HAPPY VALENTINES DAY than with a heart!  This is one of our contest give-aways...4x4" fiberboard acrylic, paper cast, wax collage! YEA!  I will also be adding this little one to my ETSY shop in the next day or so.  

The day started out awesome until I messed up the little heart I had already for this collage and had to make a new batch...And, a watch cast does NOT dry!!  But I FINALLY got it fixed and added a little bead bling to the top left and a little PASSION just off center and with the acrylic background with a bit of stamping and such and here she is..."Pink Passion" is ready just in time for the holiday...

Speaking of my paper cast wax collages...I was ordering supplies for my casting and saw on the Arnold Grummer website a little Valentine contest, so I entered "The Heart Wants" and was pleasantly surprised that they loved it and want me to write a lesson plan for their site and possibly the Dick Blick, and other art catalogs!!  AWESOME!!

FUN TIMES!!  HAPPY CREATING AND, again, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY a little early...:) 

NEW THINGS AFOOT!

It is an exciting day in my studio. I FINALLY opened my ETSY shop for all those things that just don't seem to fit on my website, and as I spoke about in earlier posts I am also putting up our little 4x4 contest choices for sale as well. The only thing that will change for my followers is they will have to compete with sales and choose what is available. But, it will also allow me to work on the 4x4 list of choices more, so it is a good thing! NOW you will have two opportunities to own a mini...either winning it, or if you don't want to wait or take a chance, purchase it! You can either scroll down my sidebar to get to my shop or click on this title link to get there. I will spend the next couple of days in my spare moments adding items that I already have in stock, so "bear" with me...(if you've followed for long you'll get the pun).

The other new item is the heart piece I've been working on the past couple of days (in my OTHER spare time). As this piece unfolded, what I wanted to do with it also unfolded. If you haven't guessed about me before now I have a LOT to say, so this feels like the beginning of a series where I do just that...speak through images AND words. This first is titled "The Heart Wants". You know the rest of the saying..."the heart wants what the heart wants"...Seems very appropriate for me right now! I've wanted to use my art in a variety of ways and with the ETSY shop and the classes and the added avenue of artistic expression these words and this title just came out naturally!As I suspected I would, I added some buttons for actual depth and visual interest. They are from my grandmothers button jar, so they mean a lot to me. AND, I took a chance and used wax as my adhesive agent and sealer. What I LOVE about this medium is it not only surprises you with the fact that SOME items seem to sink into the wax and become transparent...but it also FEELS awesome as well! I am happy to report the wax did not diminish the color of my underpainting, and it gives the whole piece a contemporary feel...both literally and figuratively! I'm saying YIPPEE as I may have found a place for my paper casts other than painting on them!! SUCCESS!!

The only thing I would caution is if anyone ever wants to purchase this item they might want to NOT hang it in a place where the sun is direct all day long. I've had these wax pieces in the back window of my car for hours at a time and no problem...but it IS wax, so the very nature would say..."treat me gently"...OH...and don't scratch stuff off with your nails...(thought that went without saying...but I said it anyway). It is STILL hard to get things off, but I'm sure if you manhandled it you would be sad!

So, new things afoot today and for the future...Wish me luck, and enjoy! I did!! PS...I already have the color scheme and title for my next piece...:)
PSS...I couldn't resist to send you another sunrise from this morning! I can't believe I am just as freshly amazed and awestruck every day when I come down my stairs and this is my wake up view!! HAPPY CREATING!! (that has to be my new mantra!!)

Foothills in Wax

I wanted to talk a bit more about my wax collages. I am in the experimenting stage, but finished this 5x7" wax collage on clayboard. I like clayboard as it is well suited to all different types of media. I'd read it accepts wax very well, so wanted to try it. I like mixing the acrylics with the collage as they are permanent so when you add another layer of wax it doesn't move it...thus far in my experimenting that is...:) So on Foothills in Wax I decided to paint the sky with acrylics. It acts like watercolor on Bristol board when you use a lot of water. FUN! I applied paper to the middle ground foothills and then used a bit of oil pastel for the light areas on those hills...then came back later with acrylic and put in the few trees. I then fused that layer. Fusing is where you brush on more hot wax and then hit it with the heat gun until it is shiny. It sort of smooths out the surface. I mostly use refined beeswax as it doesn't yellow, but like both refined and natural. I've started using a bit of damar resin mixed with the wax. I'm not sure how I like it yet. I suppose it cements the surface a bit more, but I've learned that it makes application of acrylic a bit more difficult. It wants to bead up a bit. I tore some darker papers for the foreground trees and then applied a bit of acrylic for highlights. I didn't want to put too much there as it would take away from that middle ground I like. So, the top is the finished version, the bottom is before I added the acrylic to foreground trees...hmmm...the jury is still out on this one...but I learned a lot, so it was valuable for that anyway. The photos don't show the texture that you get with this medium, but you can imagine as you are all brilliant at visual imagery!

I encourage you to click on the photo to really see it close-up, you get a better idea of what it looks like.

Welcome to my newest follower...we are ever closer to our next drawing!

Next week I will be visiting my mother in Oklahoma to check on her and my dad and see how they are, and I've decided to do something a bit different. I'll be talking about it in the coming days...I think it will be fun!

Foothill Meadow

A new addition to the contest winner choices is this little wax collage I've lovingly called "Foothill Meadow". It is a part of the view I have from my front deck. This is a little 4x4" cradled canvas texture gem that is stained on the sides and can hang or sit on it's little easel, OR just sit on a shelf. There is a combination of paper, oil pastel and acrylic on this piece and it is "held together" by wax.

Wax Collage is an interesting process which I will be doing more of in the future. It is also called encaustic painting. The literal meaning of encaustic is "burned". So, the wax is "burned" or melted onto a surface. You can go many different ways with encaustic painting. Using wax as a glue, mixing wax with pigments or oil sticks, mixing it with damar resin as a medium and layering...it is so versitile. As I do more I will be talking more about this fun medium of work.

"Among the Trees"

Yes, MORE eye candy. I will be posting this to my website later today, so for purchase information just pop over to my website and look under the category "Eye Candy"...This is as close to abstract that I think I have gone. It is a 9x12" on canvas wax collage. I was interested more in depth created by the different colors of paper than creating a completely representational piece; although the trees in front are from images that were cut from pictures of trees. Again, the wax collage is a lot of fun to do. I felt particularly poetic when I did it, thus the words tucked at the bottom.

I included the frame in the picture to show the color. It is a pecan color wood 1" contemporary frame. The color of frame complimented the colors in the piece so well that I just had to frame it!

Hopefully not to sound like a broken record, but we are only ONE very important person away from me being able to give-away a gift collage painting...so spread the word and let's get this one concluded so I can announce the next one...:) Happy Day to you all!

"Farmhouse in Wax"

More eye candy which is available on my website! "Farmhouse in Wax" is a 6x12" canvas panel wax collage that was more play. This piece is a collage of paper and acrylic paint glued and sealed with beeswax. This collage is also framed in a pecan color 1" contemporary line wood frame and ready for hanging. I have to say these pieces are great for cleaning out the confusion that builds up in my brain and allows me to approach my more consistent work with a renewed creativity. I encourage everyone to find another medium to play in from time to time to recharge your batteries; that is, if you get like I do where working the same way all the time tends to dull the senses...Who knows, perhaps it is just me...but whatever works, Right? We are litterally in the clouds today; all grey and cloudy and misty...so the color in this is just what the doctor ordered!

I see that we are only ONE follower away from me being able to choose from one of you wonderful people to give a thank you gift of one of the 4x4 basswood panel with easel collages away! (See the sidebar and click on the photo to see the choices) SURELY someone has ONE friend who would enjoy following the ramblings and work of this little artist person!

Have a great day to you all!

Eye Candy

Eye Candy is the title of a new category in my website. I've been puzzling for some time as to where I could put these random items I am compelled to create from time to time in order to refresh and refuel my creative spirit, and this is the spot I'm placing them. These items will be different and one of a kind...meaning I may not do anything just like them again!

The first piece to go in to Eye Candy is titled "Red Barn in Wax". It is a 10x8" canvas panel on which I used beeswax to collage different papers. I also painted some areas and used stamping to add interest to the sky. For those of you who have never used wax it is a lot of fun. The "glue" and sealer is wax. These pieces are not as fragile as you might think. They don't flake and do not melt in a warm room...however I wouldn't put a blow torch to it or leave it in the window of a car in the sun...other than that, they are safe to hang and love! This particular piece is also framed in a pecan color 1" wood contemporary lined frame and ready for hanging. For purchase information click HERE.

Welcome to my latest follower...and if you haven't noticed it brings us just ONE FOLLOWER away from me being able to give a gift of thanks to one lucky follower randomly chosen!