Beginnings

I'm working on a new Garden Series piece. What would you do with these elements? More sneak peeks later. Check out the source photo here.

Lessons learned - acrylic skin image transfers

A comment from Leslie Avon Miller to the previous post, prompted me to recall some of the pitfalls of creating and storing acrylic skin transfers. I would like to save everyone from these difficult learning experiences. These are the "do nots" of acrylic skin transfers. I've found all of this out the hard way.

Do not...

• leave a wet acrylic skin transfer on your countertop- as it dries, it adheres very well. Then you have to be extremely creative getting it off. Alas, a visit to my kitchen will let you see that removal is not perfect! I used a sponge pad with a slightly abrasive side (too abrasive) that left scratches on my counter. I still have three drops of gel there that dried and I can't get it off. The lesson I learned from all this- get a piece of laminate and a plastic pan and and make your transfers in your studio.
  

• lay one acrylic skin on top of another when wet. Even a wet skin overlapping itself is difficult to separate. Part to the problem is that I like very delicate skins (4 layers of medium) for my collage work. If you create skins with 7 or 8 layers of medium, this would not be such a problem. They are difficult to get apart when wet, but if they dry while together they bond beautifully! Perhaps there is something creative you can do with this new couple, but I haven't found it yet.

• lay one acrylic skin on top of another even when dry. Over time they get sticky (especially if it is hot) and bond together in parts. I have managed to use some of the parts I've separated, but never the whole image. I use deli paper (you can get it by the box) to keep each acrylic skin separate. You can store several on one sheet. These deli papers can be reused many times. With a 1000 in a box, look for an artist friend to share with- cost per box is about $20.00. When I've stacked my set of left- overs, I store the pile in large zip lock bag and label it by project name .
  

• lay an acrylic skin on top of work that has layers of gel (even dry) on it. If it is warm, the transfer skin will stick on and something will get ruined.

• dry a wet transfer on regular paper. When the skin dries it is often difficult to separate. While it can be done it is not worth the effort. Wax paper works better (but I've had some disasters with it), but refrigerator paper works best of all. It can be torn off in large sheets and taped on the two ends and then reused again and again. I like the fact I can roll it up again for storage.

I would love to hear any other advice on this topic.

Acrylic skin image transfers

While there are many ways to transfer an image from a photograph into a painting, I use only acrylic skin transfers in my work because I like the texture of the "skin" when I'm building up layers. Over the last three years, after making more than a thousand transfers for the Remnants series, I think I've ironed out most of the bugs in the process. As my method of working evolved it became important to use personal imagery rather than images appropriated from other places. Here's how I do it.

Copy
Use a laser printer or a photocopier to take a copy of the photograph you are interested in using in your work. You do not have to reverse text when using this technique.

Coat with medium
Coat the copy with gloss acrylic medium. I prefer Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish. I've tried other mediums, but they pale in comparison to the success I have with this product. When the first coat is applied let it dry to the touch, apply a second coat in the opposite direction. Continue to build up coats three and four in the same way. I've tried to get a good transfer in three coats and it is possible, but the skin is very fragile, and tearing is a problem when you try to remove the paper from the back. Five coats makes a sturdy gel skin which I recommend for your first try. I now have it down to four.

Dry the medium
I let the four (or five) layers cure overnight for best results. Have I been in a hurry and not waited? Yes! I have a small portable heater that I use to dry between each coat.


Water Bath
Place the treated copies in a bath of warm water for at least 10 minutes, but not over 20. I sometimes add a little fabric softener to the water; it helps break down the paper that has to be removed. Don't be concerned if the surface of the medium looks milky in water, it changes again when dry.

Remove Paper Backing
Remove the soaked copy from the water and place it face down on a waterproof surface. I do mine on my kitchen counter top or a piece of white laminate in my studio. Plexiglass or glass also works well.

Use the pads of your fingers in a circular motion starting in the centre of the copy and working outward to release the paper from the back of the gel skin. This is the part that requires patience. If you hurry or get heavy handed you will tear the gel skin. If this does happen, don't despair, when you use medium to adhere the skin to the surface of your work the tear is almost invisible.


If the paper starts to dry out, a spray water bottle will help keep it moist and workable. If it's really dry you may want to put it back in the water bath. The work is most fragile on the edges so slow down there.



Most of the paper comes off easily, but there is often a thin veil of paper left over the image. When this happens, I wet a facecloth or a sponge and rub gently to remove the last layer of paper. I have also used a soft nail brush or a scouring pad made for cleaning glass cooktops; it depends on how resistant the last layer is.



Dry the skin
Lay the gel skin, good side down, on a plastic shower curtain or plastic table cloth to dry. Some sites suggest wax paper, but I've had bad experiences with it and it can't be recycled. The plastic can be re-used many times, and it allows me to pick up the lot and transport them easily to the studio when they are dry. Wait for the transfers to dry thoroughly because it is easier to tear and apply them.


Once dry, they are ready to adhere to any surface you are working with. Check each to make sure there are not bits of paper left because they will create bumps in your application. Use a bristle paint brush to clear the surface of any nubs of paper left.

Apply
Choose the best medium for the task
I use matt gel, matt fluid medium or gloss gel or gloss fluid medium to adhere the image to my work. My choice depends on what I want to do next. If I'm choosing to apply glazes of paint in many layers or I'm overpainting all the applied images, matt medium works best for accepting paint. If I want to have vibrant colour and I am using little paint, I use gloss medium because many layers of matt medium really dulls the colour.

Getting a smooth finish
I use a bristle brush to smooth out the transfer onto the surface of the work. I've tried spoons, rollers but a good stiff brush has been best because you can wash it out after. Rollers get messed up with gel and then they get sticky.

Troubleshooting bubbles
If I get a bubble when dry, I stick a pin in it to release the air and apply a coat of medium to the top of it. Sometimes if I get a huge bubble in a large transfer, I've used a utility knife to make a small slit to release the air and apply a brush full of medium over the top.

Applications
These gel skins can be: torn and collaged throughout your work, layered over each other; sanded away in parts; or applied, dried and pulled off leaving the "ink" image on the board. If you want a particular part of the transfer to stand out (e.g., a face) coat that part with white paint on the underside and let dry then apply. You can get great ghostly images when you layer one on top of the other. You have to experiment to get the look you want. Many of the techniques I use came about through happy accidents.

Saving the day

Italian Gold, 2008, 24 x24 in. mixed media on canvas

I love the cities I've visited in Italy, especially Venice. In the evening, as the light changes, the surfaces of buildings and streets take on a beautiful patina. You might think that you would notice less in this light, but I found myself paying attention to subtleties. Windows, doors and cobblestones form repetitive grids basked in light. Flowers in window boxes take on the massed shapes of floral Victorian wallpaper. It's a wonderful world. I want to create more work to go with this first piece. Windows, doors and walls play a prominent role in many of the reference photos I've collected during my time there.

But... this painting had a long gestation period. It sat around my studio for three years trying to find an end. With the layers and layers of papers, text, gel and paint, it had the same problem the paintings I'm currently attempting to save had - way too much information for one painting. It was about something totally different than what it finally became. I did not think to take a photo before I changed the work. Blogging was not part of my life then.

One of the dangers of collage for me is the enjoyment I get from physically manipulating the materials. I just keep adding and adding to the point where everything is a jumble. I made several attempts to finish this work by using transparent papers and adding glazes to simplify the composition. That helped a little, but the final solution came one day when I looked at it and realized I had to do something drastic. I mixed three very dark glazes and started brushing. In twenty minutes, three years of waiting ended.

Working on

Sometimes good ideas mutate into something unrecognizable. Today I will have to face the "what do I do now?' question. After cutting up two larger mixed media works (yes, two) into five small squares, I had to face the fact that I cropped the images a little too much. Yes, too much of a good thing. Yes, I got carried away. Yes, I should have taken a breather before cutting up the work. Yes, Yes, Yes. I know.

Today I have to add to some of the pieces to support the compositions. When you crop this tightly from a larger work, you end up with several strong pieces and others that are very weak because there's nothing left to anchor them. You might think that a smaller work would need less in it, but that is not what has happened. I've posted two that need a lot of help. I plan to spend much of today in the studio working on to success, hopefully.

I'm thinking about adding a faint photo transfer of my grandmother holding a baby over the lower right. It needs human presence.


There seems to be too much recognizable print in this. I like the bottom section. It is strong enough to support the image . Right now, I don't have one clue what else it needs. It just is not working.

Under the knife

After my post yesterday, I spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring options for my work , In the family line 1&2. I created several matts of different sizes and used the open window to move it around the work. When I found a composition I liked I used a watercolour pencil to outline it. When I was finished I could remove the matt and see the outlines on the work. I went through three different matt sizes. No new fangled technology for me! There were so many layers of medium and gel on the works, I was not concerned with cutting the canvas.

It was a successful activity and in the end I created 5( 7 x 7 inch squares) from each painting. I found that the problem with the work was too much information for one piece, and that became the saving grace of the smaller works because I can now hang them to reinforce the narrative aspect.

Right now I have to decide what is the best way to present them. Originally I thought about using cradled panels with 1.5 inch sides and adhering the canvas to them with heavy gel medium. Then I thought each should be framed in a floating gallery frame and hung side by side (I'm moving away from that idea). Another option would be to mount the canvases on birch veneer plywood or Masonite and hang them together in one frame with spaces between each one. There are so many options. Did I mention I have an in-house carpenter who can create any panel or frame I can dream up? Lucky me. Tomorrow I will post an image of the five works from each painting. Maybe I will know how to present them by then.

Out of the old

In the family line 1, (18 x24) mixed media on canvas

It's time to take a break from garden paintings. I have eleven works staring at me. I've decided 7 are totally finished and 4 are questionable in many ways. I need to look at what I've done up to this point with fresh eyes. I've turned them all into the wall and cast my eyes elsewhere for awhile.

I'm returning to work I started almost four years ago. Here is one of two mixed media works based on family history that have never worked. I keep moving them from one spot to another in my studio. In my mind they are the result of having too much to say and not censoring it for composition.

I've been fiddling with cropping in my photo program to see if I can find good compositions. Below are two options I've come up with. When I find ones I like, I will unwrap the canvas and cut it to make individual pieces and adhere them to gallery panels. It will be hard to take the knife to it.

Choices I'm considering (approx 8 x10 size)


Then there's square.. I like this choice because I could do three and have the more abstract one in the middle. I will cut them to the same size when the time comes.

Transition and metamorphosis

I have a love affair with doors and find myself collecting them in memory or photos wherever I go. Doors are symbols of many things depending on which source you consult. The most common ideas represented by doors are transitions and metamorphosis. The door is a passage from one place to another, between different states (e.g., this life to the next), or between lightness and darkness.

Open doors have positive connotations, signifying welcome and an invitation to discovery; they offer hope, opportunity, and liberation. Closed doors signify rejection, secrecy, exclusion, imprisonment or more positively protection.


The door to The Bothy cottage was a welcoming site after a long day driving on the narrow roads of Ireland. We found the ivy cozy while friends found it ominous and menacing.

Walking from the Millenium Garden to the Bothy. The open door was welcoming and we often left it open behind us after hours.

When closed, it created a very different feeling.

Gates share some of the symbolism of doors , particularly entry into a new life, communication between one world and the next, between the living and the dead. Gates, when closed, allow visual entry but prevent the physical act of movement thus creating a barrier excluding all but a limited view, often creating longing for the unattainable.

Private gates from Birr Castle Demesne into Birr town. In this case we are on the inside looking out, which is a very different feeling from being on the outside looking in.

Public entrance to Birr Castle propery

Gates into the Millennium Garden are closed after hours. I love the circular motifs.

Entrance to the greenhouse in the Millennium Garden, an open invitation to view the beauty inside- a transition into another world, of colour and perfection through the control of conditions. The person on the opposite side of the greenhouse won't feel quite so invited.

An invitation to another part of the garden during visiting hours

Closed to visitors. This is the most beautiful gate on the property. I was so caught up in the design I didn't even think about looking through to the other side. The gates are closed but not locked.

The door/gate to the shell well, a short walk from the Millennium Garden. The gate offers protection both to the viewer and to the intricate shell wall inside.

The interior wall of the Shell Well made with shells from the collection of Mariga Guinness. It was decorated by volunteers in her memory. Guinness has been a sponsor for work done in various parts of the gardens.

So now the difficult task.... How am I going to create an art work that focuses on some of these ideas? Not a clue comes to mind at this time, but I'm hoping the act of laying it out will help something gel in my mind.

What's your inspiration?

I love the landscape of Newfoundland. It changes constantly with the weather and seasons. It can be harsh, silent, raging, colourful, drab and a hundred other adjectives. Even thought I have this close connection to place, I rarely paint landscape. I think it goes back to having an intense relationship to it, and never feeling that what is produced actually lives up to the ideal in your head.

For me, when I am away from a place I love, I think about it often. I am most at home in the landscape at my summer place in a small outport (fishing village) three hours from St. John's. Our house is on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, so the sea and all its elements feature prominently in this landscape. I can sit on my patio and just observe the world moving in front of me. Sometimes these thoughts are recorded in words which later may translate into artwork.

Reflection

sun sparkles,
pin pricks of light agitate,
calmness escapes
through broken patterns,
surface celebrations,
marked by ebb and flow
of life rhythms.

It is the sensual appeal of landscape that I most respond to- the sounds, smells and visual aspects. When I try to paint landscape realistically, I produce very boring work. This is the scene across from our patio as pictured above. I have seen it in hundreds of guises, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot do it justice. This piece was created from memory for my husband. (Yes I do have a mauve wall in my summer home! I love purple in all its guises.) Almost all the rock in the area is "pink"slate. I can't get away from the colour.



This is a recent collage (10 x 30) of the same scene created again from memory and completed in three hours. I had fun doing it, I didn't feel I was creating a great work of art, and I think it does capture all elements of the landscape. Go figure! It now sits in my newly renovated bathroom, whose colour scheme is inspired by the same landscape. The moral of the tale... lighten up and have fun creating.

When to call it quits

Summer Baromenter, 2008, (16 x 16) mixed media on canvas

Today I went looking for an image and found this misplaced documentation of a painting I sold last year. This piece had a long gestation period. I could never seem to get it just right and it kept me company in my studio for three years. One day last spring, it just happened! Soon after it was chosen for a juried fine art/craft show and sold to an American tourist. I like the thought that someone else can share the joy of my early years.

In this piece I wanted to capture both my memory of the physical aspects of the landscape where I grew up, and my feelings for the meadow where we played most days of summer vacations until I was a teenager. It was a time of freedom, where we were allowed to run rampant through tall grass, over rocks, along the water's edge and through the woods that bordered our property.

I find that when I create work that is intensely personal to me and I want to get it perfect, it hampers my free flow of ideas. Nothing is good enough, and I often refuse to follow up on ideas, throwing them on the reject pile before they have had time to grow. As a result, I either have a piece that ends up in my recycle pile or I have a piece staring at me for long blocks of time. The challenge is knowing when to call it quits. I'm glad I waited for this one.

New life

This isn't a post about painting or gardens, nor is it a post about an unusually early spring in Newfoundland. All thoughts of such topics have been replaced by a new arrival in my family. I am now a proud Nana to a second granddaughter, Sadie Evelyn who was born yesterday morning at a very healthy 8 pounds 2 ounces.

While Sadie is nestled down in the hospital with Mommy, big sister, Sasha and I wait impatiently for them to come home. Our days are filled with much looking, talking and doing. I'd forgotten the joy of seeing the world through the eyes of a young child. I'm getting a new education in colour. Sasha insists that objects are certain colours - the colours she likes. Of course, many things are pink, followed in importance by yellow. She also has a focused attention for mark making that is very delicate in its execution. Her surface choices are broad-my journal, recipes lying on the counter, phonebooks, storybooks, crossword puzzles, scraps of paper, etc. We may have an artist in the making. Work is being created, but it isn't mine.

The girls

Choosing the right varnish

Varnishing is a necessary evil as far as I'm concerned. It is definitely the part of creating work that I dislike. For many years I used whatever was handy and I honestly didn't know what types were appropriate for my needs. Last year I decided to develop a consistent approach, read about the products and use them accordingly. Because I already used Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish for many things, I decided I would stick with Liquitex varnishes. I did read product information for Golden varnishes for comparison purposes and I have used both over the years.

The Facts

Removable v.s. Non-removable
Many acrylic varnishes are permanent and non-removable. Once applied it is there for good. This becomes an issue with conservators if work needs to be cleaned (not in my lifetime).

Flexible v.s. Rigid
Certain varnishes labelled rigid can only be used on rigid surfaces such as wood, hardboards, etc. whereas, flexible varnishes can be used on any surface including rigid ones.

Liquitex Permanent Flexible varnishes (Non - removable)

Types:
Gloss Varnish
Gloss Medium and Varnish
Matt Permanent Varnish

Characteristics:

• 100% acrylic polymer , water soluble
• dry to non tacky finish which is flexible
• non-yellowing
• allows moisture to pass through
• doesn't crack as surface expands and contracts
• suitable for every surface (flexible and inflexible)
• possible to do touch ups over permanent varnish
  

Liquitex Permanent Rigid Varnishes

Types:
High Gloss Permanent (Rigid Surface)
Satin Permanent Varnish (Rigid Surface)

These varnishes will crack on flexible surfaces . They only work on wood, masonite, ceramic plate and other rigid surfaces. Do not use on canvas or paper.

Liquitex Soluvar Removable V arnishes

Types:
Soluvar Gloss Final Picture Varnish
Soluvar Matte Final Picture Varnish

Characteristics:

• solvent based
  
• can intermix gloss and matt for a satin finish
• can be used over oil painting also
• can be thinned with mineral spirits or turpentine
• self- leveling
• flexible, won't crack as surface expands or contracts
• non-yellowing
• contains UV light inhibitiors that resist colour fading
• while you may do touch ups over dry Soluvar in both oil and acrylic, if the painting is ever cleaned the additions will come off.
  

Varnishing Tips

Brushes
Use a wide , soft haired brush (1-4 inches depending on size of painting). Match the size of brush to the size of painting. It is a good idea to keep separate brushes for varnishing. Rollers and sponges are not recommended because they cause bubbling.

Coats
Do not apply varnish until the painting has cured ( 48 - 72 hours) Apply varnishes in 1-3 thin coats rather than 1 thick one which takes longer to dry, may dry cloudy and possibly drip and show brush marks. Most varnishes for acrylics may be thinned slightly with distilled water to enhance penetration and application.

Application
Do not shake varnish or stir it vigorously because it created bubbles.

Apply by slightly overlapping the previous strokes using both a horizonal and vertical motion , so that the entire surface is covered.Do not rework areas missed because you can pick up partially dried varnish and this can cause clouding. Wait until the next coat to solve the problem.

It you are using matt or satin varnish use only 1-2 thin coats to prevent clouding. If you feel you want more than 2 coats start with a gloss varnish and finish with a top coat of satin or matt.

If you have a highly textured surface, apply varnish slowly and try not to let too much varnish settle in grooves or get caught up in grids etc. Microbubbles occur in heavy applications when varnish pools, causes fogging over dark colours.

Regeneration

Hope

In my previous post I explored one side of life in the garden, the idea of transience in nature as a symbol of our own mortality. Mary Buek's comment to the previous post highlights another theme inherent in every garden, that of regeneration and hope. Nature moves through all its phases in a methodical fashion, immune to our impatience. Spring is nature's reward for waiting through the slow crawl of winter. When my garden sheds its white wrap and shoots appear, my energy level rises and my spirit is renewed. I long for spring.

Seeds, seed pods and bulbs are constant reminders of new life in a garden. I see them as life recyclers. Through my art, I've explored this renewal in various ways over the years.

Wishful thinking # 7 (2007) 5 x 5 inches, mixed media collage on board

Promise (2006) 8 x 10 acrylic on canvas


Awaiting spring (2005) 5 x 7 acrylic and coloured pencil on canvas

Passage ( 2004) 5 x 15, acrylic on canvas

Transience and mortality

Recurrent themes are evident in the reading I've done about gardens and how gardens are portrayed in art . A review of my observation journal kept during my two week stay in the gardens at Birr Castle reveal similar themes which in turn are evident in the work I'm creating.

Transience and mortality
Everywhere you look in a garden there is evidence of the transience of life. The cyclical nature of plants, the decay evident in plant matter below trees and garden beds etc. mark the passing of time.





It's impossible to spend time in a garden and not think about your own mortality. There are also objects in gardens that reference mortality, e.g., sundials, funerary urns, fragments of antique statuary, doors.







Certain areas of gardens that are more functional and not for visitor eyes, or ones that have evidence of neglect , e.g. collapsing fences, decaying buildings, rampant weeds, etc. also reference mortality.

.... and the setting sun.

Garden notes

Before I start a new painting in my Reading a Garden series, I always reread my journal and review all my photos from my two week stay. Today I started a new painting which means the better part of yesterday was spent reading, looking and thinking.

Here I am on my first day, writing away. As a methodical way to see everything, I decided to sit on all the benches throughout the property and survey my surroundings. I usually observed, wrote and walked early in the morning while my traveling companions were fast asleep. Because the garden wasn't open to visitors at that time, I felt like the queen of all I surveyed. Every now and then a gardner walked by or a lawn mower could be heard humming in the distance. Apart from that my fantasy pervailed. It was a very contemplative time for me. These are my first views of the Millennium Garden.

Looking straight ahead is one of the long pathways that run the length of the Millennium Garden.
I was amazed by the order and precision of it all.

This view, slightly to my left, shows roses that were just past their prime. You can see the top of the hornbeam cloisters above the rose plantings. The Hornbeams were the most inviting aspect of the garden . I had never seen anything that magnificant before.

A view walking in the Hornbeam Cloisters. Pretty magical especially on a sunny day!

Windows in the hornbeam allees allow visitors to contemplate the parterre in the centre of the Upper Terrace. Intertwined R's form the design that has been fashioned out of boxwood.

Looking left , the path to the two statues and our door in the wall.

The second statue. I loved the arbours the statues were set in. When the sun was shining through it made the leaves look like stained glass. There was a church feel to the whole experience.

One of the works I created just after arriving back from my trip.
Untitled, 2008, 10 x 24 inches, photo transfer, paper, acrylic paint, acrylic mediums

Approaching the statue from the other direction. This was one of my favourite walks on the property. Walking up the steps meant almost there. Every day of my stay, I never forgot how lucky I was to have the privilege of being there.