Shabby Miss Jenn

Saturday, March 14, 2015

My Artistic Style is Shifting




My comfort zone style of artwork is typically like the above pieces.
Lots of layers and background depth. Part of the creative process that I find easy to
escape into and yet always different in each piece.
Not much facial detailing to speak of

Then one day while sitting at my art table
this is the piece that came out of me

 I had still used different papers and stamps for background.
Her face sort of just happened though.
It wasn't really planned.
Layers of acrylic paint; oil pastels,
 clear gesso and even color pencils
all going on at once.
She was fun to see come to be.
I had never done a face like hers before.
It was exciting.

The painting
as a whole though
didn't steal my heart.

Something was just a wee bit off and yet I couldn't
 pinpoint exactly why it didn't make me
 smile when I'd look at it.
It didn't get hung on one of my walls.
Stashed away with other canvas.
I needed to take a break from her.

One afternoon I brought her out of hiding.
I'd been reading comments in a number
of different art course classes that I was
part of. One that struck such a cord
with me was along the lines of it's alright to
revamp a painting into something else.

I laid her on the table and began.
Layers of clear gesso were slathered on top.
As I let that dry I began to second guess myself.
{That can happen a lot as an artist}
With a big gulp of my coffee I shook my nerves and
uneasy off and began to play.
She morphed quicker then I thought
once more paper was added.
Then I went dark with the back ground.
As that darkness happened
she took a totally different look in my head.
With fingers crossed that I would bring the image
 from inside my mind
out onto this painting,
I set to work until I finished.




She was getting closer to what I was hoping for.
Her hair became untamed.
I was stamping images into her hair and onto her dress.
Splatters of paint were happening all over the canvas.
I was mixing in colors of paint I generally never used.
Shades of purple, blue and even pearlescent paints.
I was finally falling in love with her.






A row of antique buttons was attached at her neckline.
A little bit darker stamping was placed on her bodice.

She had amazingly shifted into a painting

that I couldn't stop the smile
when I gazed upon her.
I'm getting ready to find the perfect place

to hang her in my home.

I'm getting ready to paint a few more in this

newly discovered style within me.
I look forward to sharing

the process and pieces
with you all.
**********************
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
Thru the Attic Door
{A Collection of Primitives, 
Mixed Media Paintings and more}
*LIKE* my Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/thrutheatticdoor

Friday, March 13, 2015

How loud is your voice?

In the process of dusting off this blog to write more, I've discovered that I have forgotten my voice.
Sitting at the computer with coffee{liquid muse};staring for a good solid 10 minutes and getting nothing.
I'd type a sentence. Backspace. Backspace.
Stare.
Drink until last drop of coffee.
Type.
Backspace.


Oh now come on! This is just crazy.
So I did what any sane person does at 7am and only wearing their pajamas....... I stepped outside to inhale deeply fresh air and clear my head.
Well truthfully a sane person would have taken a moment to check the weather a bit closer as when you close the door behind you, only to discover it's -18C with a windchill..... quickly gasping the icy air into my lungs and having my eyes begin watering instantly.
Inside....I can clear my head and find my muse inside.
{Went down and tossed 3 more logs into the furnace}

Sitting here again and giving myself a good shake off.
I'm just going to begin writing again.
Days will be picked out to blog on. Circled on the calendar for reminders.
I'm not going to bury myself with a mountain of how and what and why.
The more I write, the louder my voice will become.
It's there. I can hear the whisper deep within. I have just forgotten how to bring her out and onto the screen.
I'm going to keep a little notebook with me to jot down ideas and brain blurbs.
Something to put next to the keyboard for when I stumble. I'll be able to open a page and pick something out. It might not make sense at that exact moment but it will give me something to write about. To focus that energy again with words.

I also am going to start sending out more tweets.
Twitter is a great way to get writing practice as it's short and uncomplicated.
Do you follow me there?
Thru the Attic Door on Twitter

Feeling better already about my voice.
It just took a little writing ;)

Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
Thru the Attic Door
{A Collection of Primitives, Mixed Media Paintings and more}
*LIKE* my Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/thrutheatticdoor

Thursday, March 05, 2015

Feeling like a VooDoo Queen




Truthfully I had thought of just letting this blog die a slow death.
My mindset wasn't into it anymore.
When you lose that "whatever"  that brings you to sit in front of the computer and write....having a blog becomes difficult. You begin to think you are sitting in a room by yourself talking to the walls.

Something shifted again.
I've been sharing on Facebook about what has been happening with my life at the Farmhouse...... gardens, cooking, doll making, paintings mixed with daily musings. Folks were responding. People were interested.
They began making a comment I was no longer able to brush aside.

You should write a blog

Ummmm
well
I actually HAVE one and just don't write in it any longer.

So looks like I'm dusting this bad boy off and seeing what happens.
Hope you'll stop back thru with a cup of joe and help make this fun.