By jove, I think I've got it!

For the past 5 years I have struggled to find a signature style of painting that a viewer could look at and say, "That must be one of Sharon's."  Just in the past 2 months I think I might be finally there.  Two paintings, that I haven't posted yet, have that ability to identify me as the artist.  What a great feeling that is!  Now I can go ahead and paint to my heart's content without needing to experiment with a different style in each painting I do.  I need another week or two to finish them and once I do I will post them both on my blog.  With a deadline fast approaching and the need to have some paintings done I have dug into the basement and pulled out all those paintings that I started way back when and never completed, either because I was bored with the work or I needed to learn a new technique to make the painting come alive (to my satisfaction).  The first one on the easel is a pasture with sheep.  The challenge will be to convert that early style into my newly discovered one.  That painting started on a white canvas...I now use only black canvases...so a little creativity will be needed to get it to the same look as the ones I do now.  We'll see what happens over the weekend..I'll do a before and after photo shoot to post.

Chain Reaction

This painting I did at a workshop with the Richmond Artists Guild.  I was merrily painting along when I was met with "Stop!".  It seems that the majority of the members there felt that to continue would ruin the movement I'd created in this work.  Part of me told me to go on (you know, that part that says you MUST add every detail you can into your art) but the other part said to leave it be and take their seasoned advice.  After all, I could always go back in and "fix it".  Over time I must admit I agree with them.  I would have ruined it if I continued.  This painting was displayed at the Richmond Cultural Centre. 

Another London Farm painting as part of my "GROWING PAINS TOUR".  Acrylic on stretched canvas 12x36.

Passion

This painting was my first attempt at using texture.  I had no idea what I was going to paint on canvas and just started tossing paint wherever I fancied it and the images slowly evolved on their own.  This is an odd one that, I suppose, was good for learning but not particularly the way I want to go as an artist.  I have done a couple more of these sort of abstracts as a bit of a release from the tensions of painting a subject that's in front of me.  It does, I admit, loosen up the mind.  The painting is acrylic on stretched canvas 16x20.  See it at London Farm.

Harbour Centre, Old Vancouver

This painting was the first I did in sepia tones to get the affect of an old photograph.  The subjects for the work are the images of the newish Harbour Centre Tower in Vancouver with a scene from the late 1800's Gastown in the foreground. I have experimented with this "sepia" technique with good success and am now almost exclusively working on canvases primed with black gesso.  I still haven't really defined my style as a painter but I am getting closer to a look that will be distinctly mine.  This painting was one of the largest I've completed..18x36..on stretched canvas.  You can see it at the London Farm Art Show.

German River Moorings

This painting started as an exercise in one of my art classes where every natural colour had to be changed into some other colour.  I think I had purple trees and orange skies.  I hated it so I painted the same scene over top of the old one.  I struggled (and still do) with the water and trees but managed to get a somewhat decent painting out of all my early efforts.  This will also be at the London Farm Art Show and Sale.  It is 16x20 on a stretched canvas.  It has been fun going back over my old stuff to see the progress I've made since I began in earnest about 5 years ago.  Painting does take up a lot of space and I am having a hard time limited my creativity due to storage issues.  Would be great if I could get a few sold to make room for new projects.

ps.  It is okay to leave comments, good or bad.  I value your opinions.

Old England Church Ruins

This was one of my first pieces that I am somewhat proud of considering where I was in my painting experience. I challenged myself to paint a large canvas from edge to edge and complete it.  I did.  I was painting much tighter back then.  My strokes have loosened up now and I'm more at ease with large works.  I almost ruined it by applying a final glaze wash.  A learning experience to be sure.  It is an acrylic on canvas 16x20 and currently sitting down in the basement gathering dust somewhere.  Time to bring it out and catalogue it for sale.  You will see it at the London Farm Art Show and Sale in July.  I hope I won't have to bring it back home :)

Tim Burton anyone?

I had the most bizarre dream last night...a Tim Burton moment.  A goldfish had fallen into an oversize fish tank.  The king dove in to save it, his horse followed closely behind, and I needed to follow suit to save them both.  The fish sank deeper and deeper into the tank.  The king finally was able to grab it just as it floated to the bottom.  The king panicked as he realized he was too deep to get to the surface on time.  The king started swimming for the surface, the horse turned to follow...I swam last pushing them both up in a long line until we broke the surface.  Then with my last burst of energy, propelled them as high into the air as possible so the fish would reach enough air to be able to breath once again.  Did I tell you this king disliked velvet pillows?  Crazy?  Yes, but that's what dreams are.  It was only one in a long series of dreams that was broken up by the need for Jak to be taken outside.  Old dogs have small bladders.  All the dreams last night were equally surreal.  Wish I had the talent to illustrate what I saw..would have made a great poster.