How God Uses Paintings “God’s Love on my Wall”

I am honored to host this guest post from friend and author Teasi Cannon. Not only do I treasure her insight, I am humbled by how God used my work to speak to His awesome daughter.

What looks like three paintings on my living room wall to others is actually a tangible

representation of God’s goodness and love to me. From the moment I saw Deborah’s painting, “Wild Flowers,” I knew it needed to be in my home. In combination with “Precious Poppies” and “Water Garden,” this arrangement blesses me each and every day in ways that are hard to describe. The first time I saw them together, I actually cried, and it was hard to look at them for long for fear that I would be a blubbering mess. I think it’s because as I looked at all the beautiful colors – colors that seemed to bounce off the canvas as they reflected the sunlight coming into the room – I felt God’s immense pleasure. I felt His goodness in a way that my soul needed more than I knew. I could almost hear Him laugh with delight at my joy.

There are many colors in the paintings, but the ones that stood out to me at first were happy…light…pinks and blues and greens…colors of goodness. As one who thinks too deeply about nearly everything, these paintings are a daily reminder to me that there is beauty all around, and that God desires for me to enjoy Him along the way…to stop and smell the flowers (or admire them on my wall ).

The paintings have been on my wall for a few weeks now, but still…when I stop to look at them and really take them in, I cry. Even sitting here thinking about them I tear up. I don’t totally understand yet why I respond this way, but I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m undone by the sweetness of my Heavenly Father and His gentle, kind, beautiful love for me – and the knowing that He sees me as His sweet and worthy girl.

Teasi Cannon’s blog is a fresh look at the condition of our hearts, thoughts, and how we live life.  Her authentic take on life as a real person in love with a real God is refreshing and uplifting.  Her book “My Big Bottom Blessing” has changed lives across the country.  From the back cover: “Loving the girl in the mirror isn’t about changing how you LOOK but allowing God to change how you SEE.”  Teasi is a sought-after speaker who loves to help women remember who they are in Christ.  Visit her website at www.teasicannon.com

A Matter of Perspective

Memories, 48×48

“A good abstract should work from at least 3 sides”.  I heard this from a very accomplished abstract artist set up next to me at a show recently.  I know that; I paint that way; but I had never spoken it quite so definitively.  As my life has been on full tilt, as my career feels like it is a study of shifting sands, “Art imitates life” has smacked me full in the face.

As in, I can look at all of the changes I am dealing with and working through in a negative way, or I can take a new perspective and ensure a positive result with a positive  attitude.

-Because I didn’t sell well this year on my Florida circuit I have enough inventory to relax the painting schedule and take the time to write, build a marketing plan, and explore new distribution channels.

-Because there aren’t customers clamoring to get to the studio at 10 or 11 every day I can redefine my space from retail shop to artist studio and set new (more relaxed) hours which allow me to train for the half marathon without getting up at the crack of dawn.  Or sit here at the coffee shop to write my blog.  Or close early to enjoy time with my son from out of town who is in town for a visit.

-Because my studio is full, I have two complete bodies of work that I can present.  Relaxed from deadlines, I push the envelop of my own creative style and explore the next level of “What if?” with the painting currently on the easel.

Rotated, Memories takes on a landscape look

We all have the freedom to choose the perspective by which we look at things.  I am amazed at how we see the positive in others’ lives, but take the negative road in our own.  I see wisdom and strength in a friend’s face; she sees wrinkles.  I see a friend looking younger; she sees weight gain.  I see a woman’s hair as “silver fox” she sees it as old and gray.

As an abstract artist I am accomplished at looking at the world differently.  Emotion, color, line, texture, and composition jump out at me more than image, scene, location, or place.  I am enamored by the beauty behind and under the obvious.  “Life imitates art.”  We would all benefit if we started looking for the beauty that underlies the shifts in life. “Life imitates art.”  It is the highlights and lowlights that add dimension to a painting and to life.  Looking at life as an abstract painting.  Sounds like a great perspective to embrace.

Rotated again, Memories becomes an angel

Act II: Got to Have Some Fun

I keep asking myself, “How do you follow that???”  The past two weeks have been full of life changing memories and miracles as we have watched our friend’s son progress from near death to going back to college next week!  Truly amazing.  What do I write next???

As I pondered that I realized once again the parallel to the art biz.  And perhaps the art biz is in fact playing into my emotional state about blogging as well.  As a part of our weekend to Indianapolis, I delivered a major piece and collection as I have shared previously.  Artistically I have also been asking myself “How do I follow that?”  It’s a familiar question upon delivery of a large commission or the end of a terrific show, or simply the completion of a painting that I know in my knower is a cut above.

The answer came in simply not trying to create another masterpiece but rather in having fun painting small pieces in a new technique.  When in doubt, let the child within play.  That is what I have learned through the years.  To force inspiration never results in a promising result, whether it be a painting or a blog.

So here I am, a week or so later, sharing the results of my labors this week…but really I was just havin’ fun!  Hope you enjoy!

  I even reverted to childhood memories as I named them:  “Grape Lollies”, “Lemon Lollies” and “Purple Tree”.  Fanciful, fun and oh so therapeutic.  All are just 6″ square and will adorn my tent as I travel to Madison, IN.  for a show this weekend.

Until next post…hope you let your inner child loose to enjoy the day!

Hours, Weeks, Decades

On any given Sunday afternoon you will find me in front of the television perusing HGTV, the Cooking Channel, or the Food Network.  Ever watch “Chopped?”  One of my favorites:  four professional chefs, each successful in their own right, compete with unusual (surprise) ingredients, limited time (30 minutes each course), over three courses.  With each course, one of the chefs is “chopped”, and sent home by the panel of expert judges.  I have often watched this show sitting in wonder as these gods of the kitchen create masterpieces out of funky ingredients (leg of goat and trail mix…really?).  How do they create on the spot?  How do they know which ingredients to grab?  How do you know how to make a chocolate cake without a recipe???

This past Sunday however, I decided I sort of know how they do it.  Years and years of training and experience are behind every minute they spend in the kitchen.  “How long does it take you to paint a painting?”  is perhaps the most commonly asked question I hear.  I think most artists would agree it is also one of the most frustrating questions to answer.  The truth is that the best answer will sound sarcastic:  whatever the age of the artist.

I have been painting for 6 years.  I have been a professional artist for 27 years.  I have been artistically expressing myself my whole life.  All of life’s experiences import to my memory base (whether I remember it or not) and will mix with my technical skills, my media, and my current style to export on the canvas. In the case of last week’s adventure at the county fair, it is easy to say “She painted this in one hour!”  However as you my readers are aware, I spent three days preparing for that one hour.  (Believe me my catch up list has been long!) To finish it back at the studio (to my standards of completion) took another 2 hours. However, in reality, it took over 5 decades to complete as all combined for one hour on stage.

The finished painting?  “Take me out to the Fair”  30×24, acrylic on canvas.  It will be auctioned through The Arts Council of Williamson County with 100% of proceeds benefiting the organization.  It is after all the organization that offered me the “experience of a lifetime”.

Ready, Set, GO!

Today’s assignment was putting together the plan for tonight’s live painting event.  Or from my point of view, painting off site.  I hope I am always alive when I paint!

An hour and a half is not a long time to paint a 30″x24″ painting.  My layer upon layer process usually requires me to put the painting aside, work on another and come back to add the next layer.  For instance I will lay the sky in on a canvas and let it dry often until the next day before I add the background, mid-ground, and foreground.  Each might take at least an overnight before I move to the next design area.

Not so tonight.  So I have written a map of sorts, a sequence of areas to paint, hopefully allowing the background time to dry before adding the next design element.  I have also pre-mixed my paints with the medium I use for my first layer of color.

People often ask how long a painting takes to complete.  The hidden time is amazing:  pondering design elements, process, and specific paint colors can take a relatively huge amount of time.  The perfect color in the perfect spot is after all what makes a great piece of art.  Then there’s the time consumed in selection (as in where exactly is that tube of paint?) and mixing of the first layer, making sure I have the right tools in hand, the easel at the right height, the lighting correct, etc.  All before the first knife of paint has danced across the canvas.

Usually I paint the first layer before I select the detail palette and prepare my tray of paints for finishing.  Not so today.  Anticipating the details is what it’s been about as I have prepared my tray of over 30 hues to develop tonight’s masterpiece.  I am as ready as I can be.  Master plan in writing in case my mind forgets, enough paint to finish at least two pieces I’m sure (don’t want to run out!), palettes prepared, supplies boxed.  I am set.

Now it’s time to GO!

Prototypes and Ferris Wheels

   The assignment:  a painting with a county fair theme to be done on stage in an hour and a half.  What you see here is the prototype and is really just a section of the larger piece I will paint tomorrow night.

The solution:  combining images of our fair with images of our county.  With a little help from a friend who served as a great sounding board and offered the wonderful idea of using the flags from the fair’s logo, I worked out a sketch.

The problem: working through the color scheme and placement enough to be able to simply stand at the easel and paint.  Thus the prototype.  I often use these to work through a color palette or design idea for a commission piece.  Yesterday I contacted the president of the Arts Council who will be auctioning this painting as a fundraiser to approve the sketch.   Having the prototype (which in this case is just about a third of the actual painting) helped to share my vision.  This is another step I often do with my commission clients so that everyone is comfortable with the page I’m working from.

The result:  I discovered the perfect solution for the background behind the Ferris wheel, with a bit of brighter color and a swish of the palette knife the feeling of movement and the excitement of the Midway surfaced. And my “customer” was more than thrilled.  Having stretched my creative envelop, I am more comfortable with the whole idea of creating a painting within the given time.

Tomorrow’s assignment:  The PLAN

 

Comfort Zone

Yesterday I received a phone call from  Meryll Rose, host of the local midday television show “Talk of the Town”.  She asked me to paint live on stage at the Williamson County Fair during the “Talk of the Town Live” portion of the day.  No problem.  Really.  I have appeared on “Talk of the Town” a couple of times and find Ms. Rose to be an excellent host who makes her guests feel comfortable and at ease.  My studio is open to the public so I am accustomed to having people watch as I create.

What is pushing me out of my comfort zone is this:  the assignment is to paint some kind of image of the fair, on a good sized canvas (that can be viewed easily from the audience’s perspective), in an hour and a half.  Start to finish.

Of course I said “Sure!”  Why would I do such a think when it is in fact out of my comfort zone?  I have found that those things that push me beyond my self imposed limitations exhilarate me.  Through the years I have taken on commissions and personal assignments that push the envelop of my creative experience.  What lies beyond the envelop has always been something of value to add to my repertoire which inevitably was brought out again to be used for future projects.  It is why I love doing commission work for clients.  To take my style and force certain parameters is in fact the opposite of limiting to me;  it squeezes out creativity in a new way that I find exacting and fun.

Do you have a special place that requires a made for you painting?  Call me.  I’d love to work with you.  Meanwhile I’ll be at the fair.

Imaginings

Been off to the Smokies for some family R&R which was wonderful.  However it was particularly gratifying to get back into the studio yesterday and go a little crazy painting.  In the process I use, the first layer is the loosest, most free, and really just serves as a jumping off point.  In other words, I really don’t know where most of what I started yesterday will end up.

That’s where imagining comes into play.  There is some thought that goes into selecting the palette, the size of canvas, etc, but the joy of my process comes when staring (some would say blankly) at a canvas with the first layer of paint already applied.  As an abstract painter, this is when I will see images emerge, have a feeling evoked, or see a truth represented thus giving me a path to follow.  Sometimes I just begin to paint and allow the piece to take me on a journey, imagining what it will become as I develop this or that area.

There is a misconception that suggests that as artists we “think up” our art,  like grabbing images or ideas out of the air.  I would suggest that artists carry a deep reservoir of creative thought, ideas, and images.  As I sit at the easel I reach down into that reservoir, stir the waters of creativvity, and pull out that which fits the painting I’m working on.  I do my best work when my mind gets out of the  way and I allow the canvas to communicate directly to my creative spirit.

Which means I may not be aware of you if you are quietly looking over my shoulder or I may have a dazed look on my face when I am.  Take no offense.  I’ve been off on a journey of the imagination; it can take a moment to return.

What if?

Saturdays seem to offer great fodder for blog material.  This past Saturday was no exception as I had several visitors in the studio.  The question of the week came from a gentleman who asked “Where do you get your ideas?”  Good question.  Although I have used a photo or two through the years, I generally paint from my own memory, vision, spirit.

Throughout my 25 years of artistic experience one question has been faithful to inspire.  “What if?”  What if I changed that sky from cool to warm?  What if I used that flower, but blew it out of proportion?  What if I took that small slice of that painting and created a large abstract piece from it?  And the list goes on.

Lately the question has led me to a new technique of spraying the wash of a piece, layering medium over it, and then developing what’s on the canvas.  This painting, “Canyon Whispers”  combined several ‘What if?”s…  What if I took that comment from a rejection notice and pursued what it suggested.  What if I used the colors of the southwest in a contemporary, abstract manor?  What if I simply developed what resulted from the spray and drips rather than cover them?  What if I tinted the medium just a touch to add color and textural depth?

The result is a painting that I am most pleased with.  This one was created for a specific space in our home.  Perhaps that is why I allowed myself the freedom to truly explore and push my own boundaries.  I loved the process as much as I love the finished product.   I am already asking myself “What if….”

Is it oil or acrylic?

Recently I picked up my art from a local exhibit (sponsored by an art organization no less)  where the title blocks of my work listed “Oil Painting” as the medium.  WRONG!  I paint with acrylic paint.  This is a common misunderstanding with my work due to the high relief texture that I am known for.  So, today let’s discuss a few of the differences.  My disclaimer here is that I have studied oil paint and talked with oil painters, but have never actually used them.

When I began to paint I chose acrylic for the same reason I prefer latex paint for my home:  easy clean up.  Therein lies the first point of difference.  Oil paints clean up with mineral spirits;  Acrylic paints clean with water.  That said, acrylic brushes need to be cleaned quickly after use (or during use) because of the quick drying time that acrylics have.  In other words, water clean up does not always equal easy.

Second point of difference:  Oil paints take much longer (days, weeks, months,) to dry;  acrylic paints dry in a matter of minutes or hours.  This is perhaps the most significant reason I continue to use acrylic paint.  My technique is founded upon applications of  layers upon layers, wet (paint) over dry (canvas).  In any given inch or so of a painting I work on, I have gone back to the canvas perhaps 10-12 times to create the overall effect of a given hue.  Upon closer examination the viewer will see that in fact several layers of different colors have combined to form that effect.  Many a student has complained to me that their oil paintings “turn to mud”.  This is because of the longer drying period of oils which cause them to blend rather than layer.

Which leads to the third point of difference:  Oil paints blend under the brush, on the canvas better than acrylic paints.  Actually this difference is a result of the drying time.  Oil paint blends better; acrylic paint layers better.  I often tell students that if they want the perfectly blended flesh toned cheek on a portrait, oil is the paint of choice.

There are questions out there regarding the toxicity of oils vs acrylics.  Personally I think it’s a draw.  Yes, oil paints have the fumes, etc.  However acrylics use titanium, cadmium, iron oxide, etc.  So there is care to be taken with each medium in that regard.

Another debate is longevity.  There are those that insist that oil paints will stand the test of time better than acrylic paint.  I would suggest that we simply don’t know what the future will bring.   Artist quality acrylic paints are a relatively new medium.  Although they have not been time tested we don’t know how they will hold pigment, shape, etc.

Personally,  I paint for today and today’s client.  I am less interested in how many hundreds of years my paintings hold up than I am in creating a piece of art that will enhance today’s homes, offices, and lives.  Therefore I select the medium that works best for my artistic purposes.  For me, I choose acrylic.

Today’s Painting:  Natural Beauty, first in progress and then all layered and finished.  It is 36×24 and is available at the studio for $950.