Private Commission: "Still. Life" 04/17

"People have to do what they want to do..."

-J. Mascis

"Still. Life." Oil on Found Wood, by Private Commission 12 x 13  2017

This as a really fun privately commissioned project.  My customer had requested a painting to present as a wedding gift for two very close friends.  I was told the groom was a huge fan of the musician J. Mascis, of the band Dinosaur Jr., while the bride was a huge fan of Frida Kahlo.   The painting was to somehow feature both subjects.  And oh by the way, can the painting also include the marrying couple's two beloved pet kitties...???   But of course! 

Digging around in my stash of found wood to use, I came across this old 12 x 13 cabinet bottom that I'd grabbed off a curb many moons ago. Perfect...!

The shape of the cabinet bottom, with its little notches into the top two corners, allowed for some creative wire hangery....: 

Eye hooks placed in the notched corners for hanging wire

A fun project overall, which I heard was well received by the gift recipients (yay!).

"Still. Life", featuring J. Mascis and Frida Kahlo

.

Day 7 of the '29 Faces' February Challenge: "Frida"

My Face for Day 7 of the '29 Faces' February 2013 Art Blog Challenge:

"Frida" on a 3" x 4" wood plaque

Guess it was a 'Frida' sort of day today.  Using another one of those funny little, 2nd-hand wooden plaques that I've amassed over the years, I realized I really didn't feel like thinking too terribly much this afternoon.   Plus I figure you can never go wrong with Friday Kahlo (in fact I think it's safe to say you'll likely see more of lovely visage in here before the month is through).....

For size reference:

Photographed (in really bad lighting) with a quarter for size reference

Day 6 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge: WIP, The "Frida Portrait Challenge"....

5 X 5 Tribute Frida Portrait for the Gritty Jane Frida Challenge

Day 6 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.  Only 23 more Faces to go....

This was one busy weekend for me!  The kind of weekend that could really have used a weekend of its very own just to recover from it.  With as much running around as I had on my end, my Face for Day 6 is a Work in Progress that I didn't get terribly far along with, being as that I can barely type coherently right now and am more than ready to call it a day.  But happily WIP's are acceptable additions to the '29 Faces' Challenge, if that's what ya got....  Because that's all I got!  But, at least I did get a start....

If you can make it out, mine is to be a portrait of Frida K., because I was excited to learn today that the lovely artist known on the internets as "Gritty Jane" has herself launched a May art challenge, via her Facebook profile, which she is calling the "Frida Kahlo Challenge".  She has challenged artists to create a Frida-inspired piece for May, which she will post once finished to a designated album on her Facebook profile.  Simple enough -- it's non-competitive, all just for fun as these things usually are.  The one and only caveat is this: it must be a brand spankin' new piece, created expressly for her Challenge (because don't we all have some Frida-inspired pieces lying around ;-).  Here, too...).

I happened to have had a small 5 x 5 canvas on hand that I did not use for the local 5 x 5 art show , which I decided would be perfect for my purposes here, and so I have at least the preliminaries of a Frida Kahlo portrait sketch, along with a small bit of color  before quitting for the night. In any case, a Challenge within a Challenge -- fun times...! (for some odd reason I do get a kick out of intertwining my various online/offline artistic pursuits).  Plenty more to do on her of course before submitting her obviously -- though I have until the end of May to finish up....

My Upcycled Painting Support Project....

What is this, a torture rack...?  But no, it's an Art of Patience DIY upcycled picture-frame project!

So, as I have stated in my blog numerous times by now..., for the last several years I have been participating in my very own personal art supply shopping moratorium.  As explained in this older post, and this one..., some time ago I came to the conclusion that most of what I need to create meaningful and interesting art is already in my own possession -- by way of the art supplies I'd collected over the years, materials that pass through my life and hands during the course of an ordinary day, and, most importantly, my own ingenuity.  A wish to turn away from our culture's rampantly excessive consumerism, and a will to avoid excessively contributing to our nation's waste stream, has lead me to get creative in finding alternatives to the purchase of certain traditional art supplies.  One of these has been coming up with my own  alternative painting supports, typically involving the recycling/upcycling of old picture frames and such like that I acquire second-hand, often just prior to their final destination, the local landfill.  Here is a wee photo essay of one recent DIY upcycled frame project:

A few years back, at the end of a charity rummage sale for which I'd volunteered, I was invited to take this red...whatever it was..., home with me:

A 25' x 14.5" Red...Thing.

I think it's possibly a chalkboard-holder thingie (by which one can remove a chalkboard from a slit in the top, write a menu on it and then replace it)?  In any case, with no chalkboard it was pretty much useless as it was, and clearly unwanted.  I was attracted to its elegant dimensions (25" x 14.5"), plus the sumptuous little curvy shapes at the top, which called to my mind something akin to Mexican Retablo and Ex Voto.  I decided the Red Thing had potential, and schlepped it home determined to turn it into something useful (or in other words, 'make something from nothing')....

I finally decided recently to give it a go, which required breaking out tools:

Hand's On Project

In addition to tools I grabbed some scrap wood found in our ancient garage (that had been in there since we moved in over a decade ago).....

I decided to cut the scrap wood to fit into the space where the chalkboard (?) would have fit, in order to fill in the space as well as to create a  more elegant surface upon which to paint:

Trying out sizes

My carpentry skills leave much to be desired I'm sure, but I can at least manage the basics....:

Fits well enough...

Once the wood was cut to fit it was just a matter of gluing it all in securely, and applying the wood clamps:

Handy things, wood clamps

Success!  I now have a new 'canvas' all ready to paint, making use of what was essentially useless, unwanted stuff...!

I did rather like how it looked, with the different wood colours, etc -- however I don't care for painting on naked wood, so decided it best to give it the black gesso treatment:

Now I have only to decide my subject matter (and hmm, I'm thinking perhaps another Frida tribute portrait/piece might be in order.....?)....

My usual blurb about my use of old frames:

I have recently begun painting almost exclusively on supports I create myself utilising the old, salvaged, wooden picture frames that cross my path from time to time (usually for free). I feel good about giving these unwanted homeless items a second life, not only because trees were cut down at some point to produce them, but also because by the time I get my hands on them they are usually destined for the landfill. The process of recycling these vintage frames into painting supports/canvases can be a lengthy one -- in this case cutting scrap wood to fit and gluing it all into place.  The end effect is an unusual, one-of-a-kind and ready-to-hang 'canvas' which will ultimately add interest and depth to my painting, complete with a built-in frame....

'29 Faces Challenge" Day 4: Frida ACEO

ACEO:  'Frida'

I can promise you that there was no way I was going to be getting through any month-long 'Face' Challenge without painting one of my favourite of all iconic countenances, that of Frida Kahlo's. 

Despite this however, it wasn't my intention to necessarily do so today.  I had actually spent a goodly chunk of time in the afternoon working on another painted rock.  Well, I call it a 'rock' -- when in truth it's officially a craggy chunk of concrete sidewalk  I found once years ago in the street when walking home from the grocery store.  I'd picked it up and immediately saw within it what I call a 'gargoyle', or perhaps a little 'demon'.  I recall I set out right away to coax him out with paint, but got stuck somehow early on and ended up setting him aside after making little progress, never to be touched again.  Until today that is.  I dont' know what in particular compelled me to dust him off -- he wasn't even included in the photo of my 'Pile of Shame' (AKA:  my collection of unfinished art projects) from the other day.   But work on him I did, and pleased to say I got reasonably far along (defining his face body parts) before needing a break.   Still, he did not get completed today so no little demon-guy photos....

Instead, once it was clear I wasn't going to be crossing him off the Finis! list today, I opted to switch gears and work on an abandoned ACEO.  The one I grabbed featured a 'face' all right -- something I figure I must have begun for the monthly, themed Nibblefest Art Contest at some point.  One of my infamous false starts -- it was either initially intended for the 'Imaginary Creatures' theme, or the 'Abstract', because it featured the portrait of a woman who was either a zombie, or some abstract expressionistic something-or-other.  In either case it was homely as all get out and as such no mystery as to why I'd given up.  Therefore I set out today to transform it into something else entirely -- and...I guess when in doubt?  Do Frida....

'Frida Bohemia'

'Longings from Beyond', my entry into the Bohemia Beer 'Kahlo Challenge'....


Yet another art contest!

Guess I've been on a bit of a contest roll lately, but I can't help it -- I do so adore participating in these things. I just find the deadlines and the general structure of competitions and shows so personally helpful and inspiring. Well, provided that there is at least a somewhat motivating theme or prospectus to work off of that is. But even still I'm really not that fussy, and am usually willing to try my hand at just about anything. Thus you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across the 'Kahlo Challenge' as sponsored by Bohemia Beer, what with its particularly personally appealing theme (I mean Frida! Kahlo!). From the moment I heard about it, it felt like something that I could really sink my teeth into -- so how could I possibly resist?

The point of this challenge was to take inspiration from the artwork by the great Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo (without violating copyright!), all while incorporating positive reflections and imagery of the Bohemian Beer brand. Yes, very commercial in nature -- but all just part o' the fun....

My accompanying artist statement:

For my entry, I found myself inspired by Frida Kahlo's many iconic and enigmatic self-portraits. Painted on an 18" x 24" salvaged vintage canvas panel I prepared and hand-embellished with layers of paper for maximum texture and effect, I set about to create a personal tribute portrait of the Lady herself. One of Mexico's most esteemed daughters, she wears the colors of the Mexican flag. Her jewelery reflects the rich amber tones of the brewed beverage. The offering of fruit below the portrait is a nod to Frida's work in the still life genre -- I included watermelon, as well as a lemon, to reflect both the sweet and bitter nature of Frida's troubled yet full and passionate life. Included is an opulent rendering of a bottle of delectable Bohemia Beer, so appealing and refreshing in appearance it has caught even Frida's eye...!