Tulips with Blue Glass.

Okay, just finished up on my most recent piece!  I’ve experimented with crinkled tissue paper, glue, translucent and opaque layers, dimantes and even toilet paper (for the frame!!).  I drew the lines on first with the black gutta and tissued over and started by blacking the whole thing (see below).  Then it has been a series of acrylic layers, trials and adjustments to bring the whole piece together.  I’ve learned a lot about technique through this painting – a lot about layers,  about adding then taking away and just leaving a residue.  I love how well the stencil turned out on the table cloth.

I’m striving to be original.  Granted, I have taken techniques which have been used before, some for decades – others are more recent, but others I would like to think are my own and are just what I happened to uncover through play and a curious mind.  But it is often hard to be original.  To just sit still and let it flow through you, without having to refer to source material by others time and time again.  I have my inspirations but it is tough to stand apart – to be authentic.  I do try and I am starting to succeed.  I think this has come about through zoning in, listening to the silence.  Taking time out to be alone and going into the quiet gaps in between, and if I don’t find those gaps – I make them.  It’s amazing what comes forth because of them.  Then I roll with it!

On a different but not entirely unrelated note (if we are still to have a planet to grow and enjoy tulips on!), I have come across Earth Hour which we have signed up to.  It is a campaign run by the WWF to make world governments take action against climate change. All you have to do is sign up and then bob your lights out for an hour on March 28th. Their goal is One Billion signatures  and actioners by 28/03/09 – go on!!!!  Do it – it’s easy!  Even whole Cities are pledging to do it with lights out at some of the world’s greatest sites such as Sydney Harbour and The Golden Gate Bridge.

She talked at length about most of the well known social networking platforms, blogging, video and on-line store communities, giving a flavour of each to enable the individual to decipher what is for them.  I have been toying with the idea of joining Facebook for a long time now but haven’t got around to it for a lack of time and because of how my art, and my family and my life in general seem to be my priorities.  We concluded Facebook is more of a communication tool between friends for updating each other on their latest social activities and not really geared toward marketing, which is what I feel I need to be concentrating on at present.  So Facebook (for the time being) receives the ‘thumbs-down’!  However…………I was really intrigued to hear more about Twitter and I do think I will give it a go!!  It’s simple and quick and makes staying in touch and connecting a bit of fun!

Prior to rushing out this evening, I have made another fresh start.  So far here I have worked up on a board some Gutta, shredded tissue and toilet paper(!), and gesso – all ready for a bit of colour next.  Can’t wait to get some vibrancy into this!  Oooooh – I love my work!!!  xx

Tulips on black - ready to go!