Technically, it’s not Wednesday anymore, so I’m late for my weekly Wednesday art check-in, but I’m just going to pretend I’m on Hawaii time. (I do play the ukulele, so that should count, right?)
Seriously though, I’ve been having a blast with my 15-minutes-a-day commitment. Most days I spend much longer than 15 minutes in the Creative Sandbox. And in fact, most days it’s not day at all, but late-late at night, but whatever. I’m getting my daily paint on, and that’s what counts!
So, without further ado, here are the works-in-progress that have emerged in the past week! I’m not sure what they’re about or where they came from, and they’re nothing like anything I’ve ever made (well, maybe paintings I did in nursery school…) but I must say I rather like them.
The little triptych from last week has been turned 90 degrees and added to:
6″ x 9″, acrylic inks, paint and mediums; linen thread; translucent vellum on canvas
It feels ocean-like to me, and made me think of the e.e. cummings line, “It’s always our self we find in the sea.” In fact, though you can’t see it in this pic, I debossed those words into two layers of translucent vellum, that you may be able to make out collaged on the lower right brown-and-dark-blue-ish section above.
The square composite (canvas mosaic?) below is the one that got me most excited about combining tiny little canvases in larger composites. (I went a bit hog-wild and actually ordered a few – ahem – hundred 2×2’s and 2×3’s at a bargain price, plus some dozens 4×4’s and 4×5’s. Yes, I’m serious. And yes, I fully intend to paint all of them!)
6″ x 6″, acrylic inks, paints and mediums on canvas
More ocean-y feeling, and I especially love the 4×4 section in the upper left, which absolutely glows in person.
Below are some more works-in-progress from this week’s sessions. Some of these composites are starting to tell me what they want to be when they grow up, and are in fact into their adolescence in the shots below. (Which, of course, means they may throw a random snit fit and decide to take on a totally different persona at any minute.) Watch for more mature versions in future dispatches…
That’s it for today! Enjoy, and if you have any ideas for titles, I’d love to hear ’em.
Oh, and let me know if you’ve been taking on the #15minutesaday challenge and what you’ve been up to!
All art and images ©2011 Melissa Dinwiddie
Ooh – I like what these are doing! I like the way they are all different. I particularly like the row of three on the upper left, and the cracked one below them. What fun! I didn’t do the challenge as I’m so busy making art this month for two exhibitions coming up in March, but it does look like it’s a ‘freeing up’ exercise and you’re getting some great results! xxJuliexx
Thanks Julie! I’m loving just playing and experimenting with these. The small size, and the fact that I’m creating larger works from several smaller canvases, really takes the pressure off, so I can literally throw paint around and not worry about how it’s going to come out!
Definitely freeing!
I also really love the crackly ones. I’m having a serious love affair with crackle paste!
These are so cool Melissa!! I’m particularly attracted to the middle one in the first composite work. It looks like dancing figures to me. You should sell these!!! They make me smile 🙂
Thanks Susan! I like that one too. I’m definitely going to offer these for sale, once they’re actually assembled and ready to hang. (They’re still separate canvases at this point. :))
Oh, these are so great! I never thought of combining tiny paintings into bigger ones, now I want to go splurge on baby canvases, but I shall resist… for now.
I’ve been doing really well overall with my 15 minutes a day, often I’m just prodded enough at the end of my day to sit down and draw instead of just going to bed with my internets for company, and several times I’ve dragged out my folding table and set up Art Time for a few hours!
So, thanks for the motivation — not sure what it’s doing for my “body of work” cohesiveness, but it’s definitely got my brain going. (You can see one of my favourite pieces linked below, but I’ve been posting new stuff all week.)
If you do decide to splurge, shop around online. ASW had GREAT prices, plus a sale, so I got 200 minis for something like 52 cents each.
I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know that you’re making art instead of just websurfing or whatever. Yay!!!
LOVE your Tentacle Deeps watercolor — beautiful and thought-provoking.
As for body of work cohesiveness, I’ve never had any before.. This new direction is the first time I’ve had anything approaching it, actually. :} It does make the idea of a show down the road a lot more feasible… But ultimately, if you’re getting your brain going, and your happiness engine, that’s what really counts.
what a great idea to do 15 minutes a day committing to something! If I could commit to 15 mins per day I’m sure it would help my art no end!
Love the small canvases – happy making 🙂
Amelia.x
I hope you try it, Amelia! I’ve made more art in the past 2 1/2 weeks than in some entire years! (Sad, but true…)
Love your amazing mixed media pieces! Inspiring! 🙂
Amazing, Melissa, what an impact our conversation and my 15-minutes-a-day suggestion has had on your work. I am truly astounded! It is wonderful to see how this has unfolded and I will DEFINITELY share this blog post with the artists in my upcoming round of the Artist Mentorship Program (which will be starting in April or May.) when I give them this assignment.
You will truly inspire them with your prolific output. What a shining example. I love taking the time like this to truly experiment with materials and play out loud. So much fun!
hugs!
Thanks Michele! Our conversation came at just the right time — I was itching to get back to the Creative Sandbox, and just needed a little push. The daily commitment — the small daily commitment — has been key. As has a focus on process more than product (though I do aim to end up with finished pieces from my sessions.) Most important, my happiness quotient is so much higher when I keep even just a toe in the creative stream! 🙂
Hugs back! 🙂