The spaces in between

Many people are attracted to the skeletal structure of trees. Trunks and branches have a strong presence that demand attention. But for me the real action happens in the spaces between the branches where the intricate play of leaves produce delicate patterns.

Messenger, 2009, mixed media on board

Messenger is a mixed media painting from my Reading a Garden series. The sun shining through the vines that sheltered this statue in the Millennium Garden reminded me of stained glass. My mind wandered to consider what would happen to this scene over time. Voila! a painting is created.

There are many landscape painters who have interesting ways of rendering "the space in between". Two of my favourites are Canadian artists Jennifer Woodburn and Mandy Budan.

Spring Light (2009) 11 x 14, acrylic, Jennifer Woodburn

Jennifer Woodburn grew up in Saskatchewan and now lives in Ontario. She is primarily a self-taught artist, who has relied on occasional workshops and classes for her education. Working usually in acrylics, emphasizing line, shape and colour Jennifer creates simpler forms from what she sees in the landscape.

Jennifer says:
Mine is a graphic take on life. Through the relative chaos, I find the design in nature and organize it on canvas. Using line and simplifying what I see, I look for interesting shapes and colours, and explore the spaces in between. Rhythm is found, and exaggerated. With an upbeat palette and a bit of whimsy for good measure, I capture Southern Ontario landscapes and rural architecture in acrylic paint on canvas.

I am attracted to Jennifer's work for its lively colour combinations and the rhythm she instills through her use of line and colour. This less is more approach helps the viewer to see the strong rhythms and patterns in nature. Her ability to synthesize the landscape makes me realize how much detail I could delete from my work. Jennifer has many more works on her blog and website.

Fall Again (2009) 12 x 12, acrylic on canvas, Jennifer Woodburn

Mandy Budan paints abstracts of the landscape. She emphasizes and rearranges elements in very unexpected ways. Her colours are strong and she relies on repetition of colour and shapes to create intricate patterns. One of the most amazing aspects of her work is that when you look at it up close it appears to be random, colourful shapes but when you see it at a distance it looks very realistic. How do all those little bits and pieces of bits create realism?

Summer Morning (2008) 24 x 30, acrylic on panel, Mandy Budan

Spring Light (2008) 11 x 14, acrylic on panel, Mandy Budan

I find it quite amazing that Mandy can break each painting down into such patterned parts and then create a realistic painting in the end. Her colour usage is so vibrant and often unexpected when you take a close look. While I've chosen two paintings featuring trees, Mandy paints different aspects of the landscape.

Also check out the paintings of Alison Dunhill, a British artist, who uses colour and fluidity of expression to convey the emotional impact of the landscape. There is a balance in focus between the more obvious structure of trees and the spaces in between in her tree paintings.

Are there other "spaces in between" that have been explored through art?

Good news

I am excited to report that I will be exhibiting 12 of my Reading a Garden paintings as part of a group exhibition called Pix and Paint at Cube Gallery in Ottawa, Canada. This is my first exhibition outside of Newfoundland therefore it is an important milestone in my career development. Cube Gallery +has an open call for submissions for themed shows yearly. I read about it in our provincial visual arts e-bulletin and submitted my work for consideration . All the artists are utilizing photography in some way in their work. It was a perfect match for my mixed media with photo transfers. I'm glad the owner thought so too.

I am hoping to attend the opening with will be September 6th. Because I have to ship my work mid August, I have been painting at least ten hours daily for the two weeks. I have four new painting in progress and I'm moving from one to the next so I don't overwork them. I am hoping that by the end of this week I will have some choice for the 12 I want to send. I am planning on creating 16 for this series (not this week). Isn't it great when you're on a roll!

Working On

We are settled into our summer home and I began my painting in earnest yesterday. It seems the hours fly by here and I am able to concentrate for large blocks of time with no phone, Internet or unannounced visitors to take me away from my creative time. I am trying to fix a painting that has been around for several months. It is a challenge in many ways. All my garden paintings are so green and the complex layering is a challenge because I rely on it to create the sense of energy that exists in even the quietest garden. This painting is about roses after the bloom has left and a reference to the cycle of life using honeycomb paper to represent bees and pollination. I think I have it conquered and I hope to finish it today. I am not able to post any pictures for awhile since I am not working on my own computer. I'll have a show and tell of completed work on August 11 when I return to St. John's.

The weather is fantastic and the whales are arriving. Yesterday I took a long break on my patio to watch their movement in and out of the small harbour our house sits beside. We have a ring side seat.

Postcard Series - New work

I've been busy finishing several of my 4 x 6 inch postcard works. For these two I returned to Birr Castle Demesne for inspiration. I'm looking down again to see what's beneath my feet. There are whole little worlds for you to view when you look closely. I'm not working on my
Reading a Garden Series this week partly because my mind is all over the place. We leave for our vacation on Saturday and will be gone for a month. That's a long time without blogging!

Heralding spring

Nature/nurture (2008) 20 x 24 mixed media on canvas

Yes, I know it's been spring forever in other places but I can say with certainty that we are finally having spring in Newfoundland. In 2008 I created this piece for a juried exhibition called Spring at the Craft Council of Newfoundland. I saw beautiful yellow tulips yesterday and was reminded of it.

The background is photo transfers of various pages from gardening books that were then torn and collaged . The thought that we have to have instructions to help nature along is somewhat pathetic. I used the split canvas to represent the nature nurture debate.

This is a very busy weekend for me because CARFAC, a national arts advocacy board, I am a member of is holding its Annual General Meeting in St. John's. There will be much excitement in addition to the meetings.

New work -Poggio S. Cecilia Tuscany

Poggio S. Cecilia (2009)acrylic and paper on board, 10 x 8 in.

This is a small painting completed as a gift for friends who shared a holiday with us in 2006. I always find the greens in nature a challenge and there is so much green in Tuscany. I'm still looking at this painting with a critical eye because I find the greens somewhat boring. For the life of me I don't know what to do with it. I would appreciate any suggestions. I've paper as a base and the foreground poppy section began with a photo transfer of a field that has been much integrated into the body of the painting by applying paper and over painting. It's my favourite section of the work because it is lively and organic looking. Perhaps that is why the rest seems boring to me.

I have no concerns about the topic because the place carries fond memories for me. The wild poppies are everywhere in this region of Italy. On the distant hill you can see the outline of Poggio S. Cecilia near the town of Rapolano Terme in the Siena section of Tuscany. This village was founded in 1200 by the Buoninsegna family. Over the years the little village saw several defeats in battle and in 1600 it was rebuilt. It was abandoned in 1960. Today you can find Trattoria Dal Vecchio Prof. operating there. The food is fabulous and the walk down the mountain in the dark is an adventure in itself (more sensible people drive up). We have very fond memories of our evening there and voted the pasta wit truffles the best we ever had in our lives.

To the right of the scene depicted here is the beautiful Agriturismo Villa Buoninsegna where we stayed for a week in Apartment Podere Goito. It was reasonably priced, comfortable and beautiful. The working vineyard was a plus for the wine drinkers in the group. We were a group of ten so there was always lots to say, see and do.

New work in April

I've taken a break from my garden series to create work for a commission and as gifts to mark different events in the lives of friends. While I've used some photo transfer in this work it is mostly straightforward acrylic painting rather than mixed media, which I've used in the last two years.

I was excited to accept this commission from a friend's husband for her birthday. I've made a decision to only accept commissions from people I know personally because I like to have a good sense of the person I am creating work for. Under these conditions I don't find it a stressful venture.

I included several photos that I used to create this paining in an earlier post. I was trying to combine the beach scene and the sunflower together but I could not make it work. In the end I decided to match the heights of each piece so they could be hung side by side. Sadly my technology prowess is still lacking. I could not get these two pieces to look the same height. More tuition needed for sure.

Life continues (2009) acrylic on canvas, 10 x 30 in.

Life continues II (2009) acrylic on paper on board, 10 x 8 in.

The idea for this work was prompted by my friend's (who received the work) story about finding a sunflower growing in the middle of the beach while out for a walk. She is an avid beachcomber but a sunflower in the middle of nowhere was quite intriguing. I was fascinated by this and thought about all the other things I have found on my beach walks. The remnants of life are found on beaches and pairing things as I have done here creates interesting narratives. I loved the old yellow bone handle which reminded me of flatware my grandmother had when I was a child. The ropes and wood reference the seafaring men that dominate the history of Newfoundland. If you look closely you will find other references.

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.

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.

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.

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

Favorite Acrylic Medium

I've tried many acrylic mediums and they all work. I have developed a fondness for Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish. It is top notch if you want to made image transfers into gel skins which is my preferred image transfer method for my work. From my research and practice I've discovered you can also use it :

• to thin acrylic colours and boost their transparency and sheen
• to improve paint adhesion (when mixed with paint)
  
• as a non-removable varnish to protect painting surfaces - as a varnish it is clear drying and works well on flexible surfaces
• with Liquitex Matt Medium to make a semi - gloss medium
• as a fluid glue with collage techniques
• to create acrylic glazes
• to mix with any other Liquitex medium
• as a fixative over pastel, graphite, chalk etc. to increase shine . Mix 1 part Gloss Medium and Varnish with 1 part distilled water. Spray with an atomizer or airbrush.
• as a transparent ground for acrylic paint instead of gesso when you want the substrate to be seen

One stop shopping at its best!

Tips for using:

Collage
If you are applying absorbent papers to collage work, it is a good idea to coat the papers first with gloss medium and let dry. Then re-apply a second coat to adhere the paper. If the medium is drying too quickly, keep environmental conditions cool and humid. Before applying a second layer using gloss medium ensure that the first layer is dry. This can take anywhere from 1-4 hours. A small heater with a fan can speed up drying time.

As a varnish:
Dilute up to 20% with water for ease of brushing and better leveling. Acrylic paintings must be dried for at least 48 hours before varnishing. Apply 1-3 thin coats rather than one thick one. Thick applications can also cause cloudiness.

Progression

Over the years I've painted poppies many times and in many different formats. Alas! I did not see any poppies while I stayed in the gardens at Birr Castle; it was the wrong time of year so there won't be any in this new body of work.

I've taken time away from painting in the last two weeks to review many of my photographs and paintings. I'm looking for something, but I don't know what. I'm hoping this process will help me come to terms with whatever it is I'm supposed to discover about my work. Following is a sequence of work from 2007 back to when I first started painting seriously. If anyone has any words of wisdom in what they see, I'd appreciate hearing them.

Progression #2 (2007) 10 x 34 , paper, photo transfer, acrylic paint, mediums on canvas

Poppies are one of my favourite flowers. I love their tallness, fragility of petals and boldness of colour. I love them at every stage, before bursting into bloom and spent. The seed pods have sculptural qualities that always make me want to paint them in a very stark style. The seeds themselves are prolific which account for the tenacity and spreading quality of poppies. Wild poppies, fragile and supple, create such delicate dots in the vastness of country fields.

Connections (2006) 16 x 16in. photo transfer, paper, acrylic paint, acrylic mediums on canvas

Connections is my favourite painting of this subject matter. Unfortunately it graces someone else's wall now, not mine. There are times I'm sorry I've put a work for sale. This is one of my biggest regrets.

Emerging (2005) 18 x 24, paper, acrylic paint and mediums on canvas

Big, bold and beautiful. What's left to say?

Cycle (2004) 12 x 12 in. acrylic on canvas

This was one of my first paintings executed long before my current interest in creating complex surfaces using many layers and different materials. Some of the same ideas are expressed in Connections, but in a totally different way. What a difference two years can make.

Displaced (2003) 7 X 12 in., acrylic paint and gel on canvas

I always feel a little sad to see a flower removed from its natural environment, but I selfishly continue to let my desire for their beauty overcome this reluctance. This following text is written vertically on the right.

Plucked from nurturing soil and forced to rethink the notion of home.