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| Meander 14" x 18" Mixed Media |
I say everything old is new again for several reasons. First, those curly bits of bright pink algae are very Matisse right? They are also very quilty! Meander style quilting is one of the most common ways to finish a quilt. Before I stopped with that hobby, I was pretty proficient at overall meander quilting. My hands make those motions naturally because I am a doodler. I used to doodle in school, in meetings at work and certainly while on the phone. So, doodling is what I had in mind when I drew those hot pink shapes. I really wanted to see if more organic shapes could merge and blend with more geometric shapes. Rich didn't care for the colors or the combination of shapes. I am pretty pleased though.
The piece though was difficult for me to put together. I had no plan when I started other than the colors. I had an idea stuck in my head that stymied my progress. Once I abandoned the idea, things started to flow. I learned (again) that contrast is not always about going darker. Sometimes a lighter value is better. Sometimes you need something more chromatic. Sometimes both things are needed. I also learned again about gathering shapes and values to make a larger statement as well as leaving white space to rest the eye upon. I got some good practice too with removing shapes that were already glued down and had dried. It's a little nerve wracking but you deal, do it and keep going. And lastly, I am beginning to see that color itself-pure and simple-is a design element. I hadn't really grasped this before but I found it to be very true for this piece. Sometimes things take awhile to click!
OK, hope the weekend is off to a good start for everyone. I am excited because I have an upcoming trip to UC Davis planned. I love going there-so much learning and earnestness of purpose. It's a very cutting edge sort of place too and I am looking forward to some good people watching as well.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Libby
I like the organic mixed with the geometric! And I remember that color, it was often paired with purple!
ReplyDeleteRandall,
DeleteGood thing I didn't listen to my husband! I like the idea of the organic and geometric together a lot too. They both add a lot to the party in my estimation. I wasn't sure though if it would gel or not.
Pink and green were certainly the "in" colors when I was a kid. I may have worn some neon in my time:)
Purple would be a good edition. They are all colors that I am getting used too at this point. The choices turned out to be really refreshing for me somehow.
Thanks for the visit and comments. They are appreciated!
Libby
yes,I see the matisse shapes...just lovely! I remember that pink paired with green was really big when I was in high school in the mid sixties. Pink and kind of a forest-y green. I had a sweater of those two colors and it is funny how pink can look nice with other unexpected colors. I love this piece..Meander is just the right title for it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Celeste! I ended up really liking the meandering shapes. Not as skillful as Matisse of course but I like the reference:)
DeleteI had pink and green leg warmers when I was in grammar school. The color combo must have remained around for a bit because it was there again in the 80's when I was a teenager. Go figure!
Hope you are doing better these days. Thanks again for the comments and visit!
Take Care,
Libby
Oh my Libby I am truly in love with these colors. Yes I suppose they do appear bright but I love bright. The organic forms do make me think of Matisse. The circular theme keeps my eye in the move too. Hope friend Your week is off to a great start. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie,
DeleteBright is OK! I like the colors too and was pleased with the interaction of shapes. Glad that you saw things in kind of a circular way. That was what I was after!
Take care and thank you for the visit. I hope the week is going well.
Libby
Nice to see pink used this way as I am also working with it. Pink and green is a popular combination but I really like the more unique deep Matisse pink next to the pale pink. I was fascinated reading some of the comments about the color combination.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your trip.
Thanks Julie!,
DeleteI like that deeper Matisse pink also. The combination of stronger colors alongside the more muted and paler tints ended up being very appealing to me. Funny too how we can associate colors with artists. Blue and green of a certain shade remind me of Ellsworth Kelly. Golds and blues remind me of Van Gogh. We must have something going on with our memories!
The trip went well. I am back at home with a few more things to do before I can have some studio time. Talk with you soon!
Libby
A wonderful combination of colors with variety of each hue. Your pieces often have such movement about them. This one seems very active to me. Well done!
ReplyDeleteCarol,
DeleteI have been away for a couple of days so excuse my lapse!
Thank you for the observations. I ended up really liking the colors a lot. This piece turned out to be difficult but in the end I am happy with the results. Maybe more of this color scheme will show up in later pieces:)
Thank you as always for your thoughts. I appreciate it!
Libby