Abstract Art Blog

Art Trail Preview Show

At our First Friday gallery night this past week, the Art Trail Preview Show was up at The Community Arts Partnership (CAP) new space in downtown Ithaca. It was a great space, if small, and helped all the art look its best.  There is a big variety among the 56 artists who show on the Trail (not all of whom were in this exhibit), and the art includes painting, photography, sculpture, woodcarving, prints, fiber art, furniture, art glass, jewelry and ceramics. 

Because space was limited, I entered a small giclee print on canvas of my most popular abstract art print, Culmination.

   Culmination

Abstract Art Book Just Published

I've been trying to put together an abstract art book of my paintings for a while now, without going into a huge expense and still getting a quality product.  I tried Lulu.com, but their formatting for a photo book did not work for my square abstract paintings.

Finally an artist friend sent me to Blurb.com, where I was able to find the formatting tool I needed.  You can download Blurb's bookmaking software for free, modify the formatting all you want and put together your book on your own computer.  Then, when you're satisfied, you upload it to Blurb's website and order as few as one copy or as many as you want. 

I made my book on premium paper, which is recommended for a fine art book.  Books are available in a soft cover or with two hard cover options.  Here's my book:

Abstract Art on Tile

I've been working with the Loudeac (LOO-dee-ack) Tile Studio in Newfield, New York, to put my abstract art on ceramic and glass tiles. Phil McCray founded the studio in 2003, using dye-sublimation technique on ceramic tile to publish images from art, history, and popular culture.  He and his partner, Jean Callahan, have successfully worked with painters, photographers, textile artists, and digital artists producing tiles in ceramic and glass.

Recently Phil and Jean began offering kiln-fired art tiles and murals, which combine the same artistic qualities of color and image as their indoor tiles with all-weather, all-temperature durability. These have great potential for outdoor decoration, landscaping, pools and architecture.

I fell in love with the quality of their reproductions on tile, and plan to offer them in my studio for art trail and other events.  If you are an artist, consider asking them to put your art on tiles.  Contact admin@loudeacstudio.com.

Abstract Art on Hubcap: The Landfill Project, Part 3

I've been working on the Landfill Art Project this past week, and finally completed my version of "abstract art on a hubcap."  I could have continued, but everyone around me liked it just the way it is, and I knew if I continued to paint, I would very likely make a mess.  I guess what I really needed was more hubcaps in order to experiment.  It is not like painting on canvas.

Now my hubcap will join 1041 others painted by artists around the world. 

Abstract art on hubcap: The Landfill Project, Part 2

After painting a background of lime green (see previous post), I attempted to create my abstract art on this hubcap for the Landfill Art Project.  With the curves and indentations and ridges, the process was not like painting on canvas or paper.  I began by drawing lines with the paint in light green and Prussian blue:

After that dried, I filled in some of the spaces:

Tomorrow I will continue.

Painting Abstract Art on Hubcap

This week I've been working again on the Landfill Art Project started by Ken Marquis. See my June 12 post for more information on this project, especially if you are an artist who would like to participate.  Basically, 1041 artists will be creating art out of reclaimed hubcaps. 

First I had to clean off all the acrylic paint and gesso I'd applied to my hubcap originally.  Then I bought a primer at the paint store:  Zinsser 1-2-3 Bulls Eye Primer, sealer and stain killer.  Here's the original hubcap:

Here it is after two coats of primer:

After the primer dried thoroughly, I painted a yellow-green acrylic all over to serve as a background:

Next step will be the real challenge:  actually turning this hubcap into abstract art.

Final Image in Vertical Abstract Art on Paper Series

I post paintings on my website in pairs, and realized I needed one more image for my new series of vertical abstract art on paper.  I wanted to use some of the same colors as the image I would pair it with, so I began with yellow and yellow-green, adding darker greens and white in a loose vertical pattern.  Next I used red and brown lines to sketch in some horizontals, outline shapes, and begin to create some movement.  Here is the final result:

   Stepping in Lime, 18" x 24" on paper

Creating Structure in Abstract Art, Part 2

In my previous post, I talked about creating structure in abstract art with an under-painting or background.  My second version was even more grid-like than the one I showed in that post.  I actually drew lines of paint vertically and horizontally, and then filled in some of those rectangles with various colors.  After the paint dried, I used lines to create a contrasting, more free-form design, and then when that dried, I filled in some of the forms until I was satisfied with the overall effect:

  Circus Partners, 18" x 24" on paper 

Creating Structure in Abstract Art

One of the ways to create structure in abstract art is to paint a background that will act as a grid or foundation for the final image.  Recently I used a palette knife to flatten small blocks of white, yellow, orange, red and blue on two watercolor blocks.  Then I used lines in the same colors to create a pattern.  After that, I continued to paint over this structure.  Here is the first one:

   Pick-Up Notes, 18" x 24" on paper

Abstract art on hubcap: the Landfill Project

About a month ago, Ken Marquis of  LandfillArt.org got in touch with me about creating my abstract art on one of the 1041 old automobile hubcaps from the 1930's to 1970's which he has reclaimed from landfills.  This is an ongoing project which began with 41 artists, with another 1,000 of us joining them.  If you are an artist who wants to participate, contact Ken at Ken@Landfillart.org. 

Here's a photo of my hubcap before I started to paint it:

   Hubcap for the Landfill Project

Ken's goals are to eventually create a book with the 1041 pieces of art, and then a traveling show with 200 of the metal canvases that best represent the project. 

I took a step forward by cleaning my hubcap, but then tried to use the acrylic paint directly on it.  Oops, this metal needs a special primer, not acrylic gesso evidently.  But I'm not giving up.  I'll peel it off and start over.