Wednesday, April 27, 2011

For The Love Of Art: Part One




Before I became a silk painter, more than fourteen years ago, I painted in oils.
Here are a few of the many paintings I did back in the day.









I loved everything about oil paints... the smell, the texture, the Turpentine.
Then, one day, I discovered silk painting and tucked all the oil paints away!



But I still wanted to paint landscapes, so I did a few on silk. Like this one.



Then I started painting flowers on silk scarves and that was all she wrote! I was hooked!!



A few months ago, I went on a road trip to San Francisco and the wine country.
My nephew, Brad Gruno and I went to visit Katrina Frey at the beautiful Frey Vineyards.
I took a ton of pictures and when I saw this one, I knew that I had to paint it... in oils!!



Since I got that idea in my head, everything I looked at became a potential oil painting.
Here's another photo from Frey Vineyards. I love that place!
Katrina invited me to come down and be the artist-in-residence! Ohhh yeaah!!
(Katrina, if you're reading this, thank you again!!)



Another potential painting. (Minus the dashboard.)



From a recent trip to Descanso Gardens.



Another one from Descanso.



And another.



On a recent trip to Oregon I fell in love with the moss and thought that it would look gorgeous in a painting too!



Moss climbing on the side of a wall. A cool abstract!



Look at this lushness! Love it!!



I finally decided to go-for-it, but I couldn't find any of my old supplies!!!!
A few years ago, I came across my huge assortment of brushes and thought, "that's a weird place to have put them". Making a 'mental-note-to-self' I went about my life.
The moral of the story, don't put stuff in weird places and don't make mental-notes-to-self!
It ain't gonna work for ya. I've searched and searched for those brushes and supplies and can't find squat!! I finally gave up and bought some new stuff. Just the basics.
A container to put the globs of paint in, without having them dry out.



Two 16" x 20" canvases. Canvas'? Canvas? Canvy?



Some brushes and a palette knife. Ohhh! I had sooo many!!!! Still do... somewhere. :(



Over the years I've become very sensitive to chemical odors and I don't think I'd fare well with the smell of Turpentine, Turpenoid, or any of the other things associated with oil paints.
So I decided to try acrylics. I've never liked acrylics before, but I thought I'd give them a shot anyway. Maybe the texture is better now. I also bought a palette to mix the paints on.



I love a huge assortment of colors! I want them all!! But I behaved and just bought a set.



Okay... I caved and bought a few more.



I couldn't find my easel either, so I got this little inexpensive one.



Of course I had to buy a book.



I had to!!



So, wish me luck, my friends!! I'll give you an update and show you the painting in-progress and completed, in a future post.





"Peace-out, dude."





There are SO many things to love!
I love "Followers" and comments too!
(Thank you.)



Signing off for now,
gabriele




11 comments:

  1. First of all - I LOVE ACRYLICS! And I don't even want to tell you allll the options for fun there are with acrylics with regards to texture and drying time and stuff like that. I really loved them. Yes, they dry fast but you can use something for that. Me? I just painted over stuff I didnt like once it was dry, end of story, you know? Blending is not the same but honestly, its fine. And you can work it. cant wait to see what you do!

    Tracy

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  2. Just to add the smallest bit of complexity to your decision making process - there are, now, Water Based Oils!!! All of the advantages of Oils - and NO TERP!!

    And you're right - it seems the light at Frey Vineyards (and, I assume, the surrounding area) is very Tuscanesque. I have always dreamed of traveling to Tuscany to paint and photograph - perhaps a shorter trip might do, instead.

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  3. I wish you luck in your return to paint. I love some of the photos you posted; if I were a painter, I would want to paint them also!

    Blessings!

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  4. All the best! You do create beauty in so many projects you have shared with us.
    Rita

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  5. The silk scarves are heavenly. All we really need is a beautiful silk scarf & some La Mer.
    ;-)~Mary

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  6. ...
    Tracy, I'm starting to like some of the benefits of acrylics. Would love to see some of the things you've done! On your blog?? :)

    LceeL, water-based oils?! Love it!! Yes, Frey's is fabulous for wine AND light! :)

    Dimple, thank you for your kind words and for becoming a Follower.

    Rita, thank you so much for the wonderful compliment!!

    FrankandMary, thank you very much!! I'll be checking-out your blog as well.

    As always - thank you all for stopping by and taking the time to leave comments. It's very much appreciated!!

    xxxx,
    gabriele

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  7. Just to be point perfect - I misspoke. They aren't water BASED oils - they're water SOLUBLE oils. They maintain all of the characteristics of regular oil paints - including the extended drying times - but you can use water instead of typical oil mediums - but at the same time - you can still use traditional medium for the painting, if that's what floats your boat.

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  8. Thanks, LceeL! That's even awesome-er! :)

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  9. I liked your old oil paintings and you're clearly being called to paint again. I look forward to seeing the outcome since the photos are lovely. Good luck!

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  10. Oh my gosh, I can hardly wait to see your paintings! I love the ones you did "back in the day." love your use of color and depth of field. I can almost see those photographs transformed by your eye. Such an eye you have. It seems your creative juices are bubbling in a new way and how exciting! I have so enjoyed my visit here tonight. I did enjoy coming along on your art shopping and the choosing of the paints and brushes and easels and all that.

    I started out as a fine art major, painting with acrylics, before i switched to creative writing in college. but i still tell myself that i will paint on canvas again someday and i have a sweet easel tucked away waiting for that day. problem is, i can't recall where i tucked it! i shall have to do some art supply stocking myself when that day comes.

    I so admire that you live and breathe your art. You are doing it. I am in awe.

    love to you, dear Gabriele!

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  11. Grandmother, thank you for the nice compliments! I'm working on the update now.

    Angella, your writing is SO spectacular, I had no idea you ever did anything else! I'm impressed!! And you painted in acrylics? Small world, eh? I hope you DO paint again, very soon!! And when you do, I hope you'll put it on your blog! What fun!! Hope you find that easel. :) If I ever move from here, it'll be like I went shopping!! I'll find all of the items I've misplaced!

    xxxxxx

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