Dryad

Dryad
(Enchanted Forest series)
Acrylic, Metallic used (reflective in the light),
Gallery Wrapped
16 x 20" x .75"
$300

My enchanted forest series has taken a new direction. This painting was an experiment, as I wanted to combine the current series with some of the other themes I enjoy. What resulted is this.

I really like the effect of having the woman (or nymph) in the tree. I like the feel of it. I'm going to take it further with my next painting, and I am already hard at work on it.

The more I paint this series, the more I am playing with the depth of the iridescent paints, and I'm really enjoying some of the new effects I am able to create. I still love that these paintings don't need to be lit (in fact, I would say that they should NOT be lit by any special lights), and that they change throughout the day or evening. I recently took down my paintings from their show, and I confess that many of them are now hanging in my house instead of being stacked in my studio, because I enjoy the colors shifting that much.

Jade

I finished a canvas that has been bothering me for a while now. I wanted to try doing the opposite with the copper/gold trees and purple, and try using my silver and iridescent white paint... the only color I could think of that would look contrasting as a backdrop was red.

But it turns out that silver trees just look like dead trees. I grew up in Colorado and there were always areas of the forest that died, and when that happened the birch and the aspens were silver. I was painting dead trees. Ugh.

So, I set the canvas aside. It's probably been over a year now, and it has been sitting in the corner of the studio... mocking me. I finally decided to tackle it when I came across my iridescent green paint, and this was the result:

Jade (Enchanted Forest series)
Acrylic, Metallic used (reflective in the light),
Gallery Wrapped (Gallery Deep, standard depth, 1 1/4 inch - no frame needed)
11 x 14" x 1.5"
$150

The sun is iridescent gold and copper, and textured. The forest, in person, looks like it's made out of jade, which is really pretty neat. The red was very hard on my eyes while I was painting, though. I won't be doing another one like this, although I think I will use the jade-tree-look again. I find that this painting has an... aggressive feel to it. Not the usual peaceful feeling I normally create for myself with my paintings.

I have gone back to my purple backdrops and fiery trees, but I have a new slant that I am really excited about. I should have the first painting of my new direction finished in a few days. I'm excited about the way it's already turning out!

A Narrow View

I just finished this smaller painting:

Narrow View (Enchanted Forest series)
Acrylic, Metallic used (reflective in the light),
Gallery Wrapped (Gallery Deep, standard depth, 1 1/4 inch - no frame needed)
12" x 6" x 1.5"
$200

Daylight

Last night, while trying to stay up so the Easter Bunny didn't fail to make an appearance, I finished a painting I've been working on for a while. A friend asked to see my current Enchanted Forest series with a daylight/pastel theme. So, I went ahead and gave it a go:

"Daylight"
Enchanted Forest series
Acrylic, Metallic/Iridescent
Gallery Wrapped, Shallow
16" x 20"x .75"
$300

The color changes from one side of the painting in the trees to the other is an affect of the lighting. The trees are actually the same, but different lighting conditions will bring out different colors throughout the day and evening.

To be honest... I'm not in love with it. I like my deep purple hues with contrasting fiery iridescents. I actually struggled with this painting, because normally I get lost in the canvas. I can lose myself in it, and I suppose it's a sort of... meditation. I've never been one for meditation, I can't even get through a whole session of yoga without going "Come Ooooooooon!!!!!" Running is the closest I get to being earth bound and quiet.

Well, except for when I paint, as it turns out. I found this painting intrusive, rather than relaxing. Stressful. My husband likes it, and we'll see if my friend likes it, but for myself? I don't think I'll be creating another with the same bright lines.

I'm going to paint a smaller purple one, just to set myself back at ease.

I actually have plans to start incorporating a few other familiar concepts into this series, with a plan for a very large painting with a figure in it. We'll see how it turns out!