A touch of seriousness

Downhill

On the Edge

I really never though I'd like to paint something grey but it is a good exercise , at times I am attracted to these and others not. I guess color attraction definitely has to do with moods and feelings at the moment they are painted, or viewed.

Some small abstracts

It has been a long time since I last posted in this blog but I have been busy trying to learn the wet on wet technique in realism and some Plein Air, which I post on my A Constant Search blog. I'll be doing a little more abstracts along with the other work, from now on.

Plumbago y Lila

The classes at the Institute of Bellas Artes have come to an end for the second semester and will start again in September. After the show last month, I have worked some much smaller pieces and have been working on my oil still life over grisaille. That one I have finally finished and will hope to post on my other blog this week. I have also been working on a big Mixed Media piece that I hope to post on this blog as soon as it is finished.

I had never worked with this color palette before and found it quite pleasing.

Oil on MDF board. 12X12 inches

Abstract Vases

This is a Mixed Media piece abstracted from life. I love to work mixed media, there is something freeing about it and being able to let yourself go with different materials.

Oil over tissue paper and wall texturizer over stretched canvas. 32X16 inches

Landscape or what?

I painted this one with the idea of an abstracted mountain landscape with a lake in front, from my imagination, but I had it leaning vertically at the Institute and the director mentioned liking it that way better. I still don't know how I will hang it or sign it. The format is interesting but needs a very special place. Oil on canvas 12X59 inches

End of the School Year Exhibit

Last Wednesday was the end of the year show, for the students that belong to Lina Lanz's Experimental worshop. Being a Wednesday, there were not a lot of people during the inauguration but I think it was set up nicely and as it got later, people started coming in. I will find out a little more on Monday about the comments. Unfortuntely I didn't want to lug my heavy DSLR camera and I took a small point and shoot. I regretted that, after I saw the pictures, but I will post them because the Gallery of Difusion Cultural of the Instituto de Bellas Artes, is a very nice architectural space. Some of these showing in the pictures are mine and others, the work of my other 9 classmates. I wish I had better pictures to show but I might be able to show some later.

Ritmo y Movimiento

My plans for this painting was to cover it up and start a new one but the teacher at the Bellas Artes Institute asked me not to and to please include it with my work for the Bellas Artes Institute exhibit on May 7th. It looked so violent to me when I finished it, but I have decided to let it be and wait for the comments on it at the exhibit.

Diptych

This was a fun painting that started with a completely different idea but the painting took me to the final result and I actually ended up pretty pleased. Something a little different, although I also see that the bottom half works well as a painting on its own.

Deep Water Blues

I had mentioned in a comment that there is one of my paintings that to me looks quite aggressive for my liking. This one isn't it, I still have to bring that one back from the Institute to take pictures of it.

The show will be on May 2nd and I have quite a few now, so I will work on varnishing, framing and signing them. After this show I would like to try a series of abstracts with a lot more glazing, very few shapes but quite a bit more texture. I have also been trying my hand on wc paper using watercolors, inks and different texturing effects. There is so much I would love to do, but just not enough time.

Retreat before the Storm

This is another one with the same color palette but I do promise the next will quite different.

Oil on canvas 32X48 inches

Two new ones

I finished these last two recently for the upcoming show, although I am still working on more so I don't quite know which six I will choose yet, of those I have finished. These seem to be almost the same color palette but my last ones are quite different.

Naufragio

This was going to be a series of two together with the previous one, but to me this one has a different feel to it so I have titled it with a new name.

Monologo

This is one of two that are similiar and will be shown together in my May show. This is the reason for my Spanish titles.

Oil on stretched canvas.

Suspended Energy II

This is the second abstract painting of a series of two that are very similar.

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas 40X40

Suspended Energy

I love all art in general but to produce my art I prefer certain mediums. For a long time I was using Mixed Media and my art was expressionistic, a medium and style I still like to use. Later I tried with Encaustics to produce Abstract Art. I found it fascinating, but found myself frequently lost with my composition, I felt I could compose a paint pour much easier than using brushes and knifes for my art. Shortly after that I came across WetCanvas and learned to draw, while doing the 101 class in the Drawing and Sketching forum. It was there that I met outstanding artist Michael Newberry ,who introduced me to the magical world of realism in Charcoal, Pastel and Painting over Grisaille in oil. I know I have gown with his mentoring and I love doing this, but it takes patience and perserverance together with being something that cannot be finished in a couple of days. I have accepted this with pleasure and motivation, working everyday on my painting and knowing that when it is done I will try to do another.

In the meantime I need that thrill that Abstract Art causes when facing a blank canvas, letting go and not relly knowing where your marks and colors will take you.

This one is the first of a series I will be posting here and will be showing in a group show at the Bellas Artes Institute of San Luis Potosì.

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas 40X40 inches.