I studied fine art in college many years ago, and one of the ways we learned to see things differently was by drawing or painting the negative spaces around objects rather than the objects themselves. About ten years ago I became enamored with many of the abstract works I had the privilege of viewing, and I wondered how I could incorporate those conceptual brushstrokes on an interesting patterned ground while including the recognizable imagery that I love. I heard these whispers in my heart and this is the result. There are so many different images that the idea of making your mark brings to me…a physical mark in line, shape and colour, but also the mark that a body of work makes on memory and feeling. I’ve spent quite a bit of time sketching in my journal incorporating these drawings into images that I use often in my paintings: feathers, leaves, birch trees, landscapes, and more. Recently I began adding graffiti as well, and started to envision a grouping of paintings incorporating these marks. I use a variety of acrylic supplies, and create patterns using both opaque and transparent paint, both in my large and small canvases as well as in altered books (paper).
Tools & Materials:
Stretched canvas, panel or paper
Acrylic paints
Acrylic ink (optional)
Stencils
Acrylic spray paint
Variety of paint brushes
Water dish
Rag
Tips:
I used several different sizes of paint brushes for added interest.
A stencil brush and acrylic paint can be used instead of spray paint.
If using paper, coat with a layer of white gesso to add texture and substance to the surface.
Always use a mask in a well-ventilated space when using spray paint.
Clean water dish regularly to keep paint colours vibrant.
Directions:
Using acrylic ink and a paddle brush (or large house painting brush) and plenty of water (a spray water bottle also works well), apply colour liberally on the canvas.
Allow to dry well in between layers in order to keep colours vibrant.
Using another colour of paint and the 1 inch brush, add a transparent colour in spots around the canvas (don’t cover all of the initial layer). Wet with plenty of water and allow the colour to spread and drip.
Once that layer has dried, take your stencils and spray paint to a well-ventilated area and begin adding patterns. Pay attention to repeating pattern and colour around the canvas in order to keep the image interesting and the viewer’s eye moving around the surface.
At this point the painting can be left as an abstract painting or a recognizable image may be added on top of this base. I always carry a small moleskine journal with me to sketch imagery that catches my eye such as the Rocky Mountains that surround us, or city scenes that inspire me in order to incorporate them into my work. Using a thinned white paint and a round brush, I transfer these images to the canvas and then paint a variety of sold and translucent colours around the images in order to make those images ‘pop’. The textural marks and colors in these paintings are like the whispers of my soul. They capture the history of this place, sparkling city lights, and the sweet songs of birds in the mountains.