Painting Progression

Breakfast in the Landings

Hmmm…a blank canvas. Love adding marks to a pristine surface! I plan on painting a beautiful bird with a photo provided by a friend. I would like the foreground to be more detailed and the background free and abstract.

Here is my photo reference. A chance shot from an iPhone during a golf game and a light rain.

I completed a rough sketch in pencil already contradicting my goal to stay more abstract with the background. Hopefully I can correct this on the canvas.

This is the under painting in burnt sienna. My purpose here is to establish lights and darks and make sure of the composition. Luckily the reference photo was a great composition with only slight cropping.

I have chosen a limited color palette with variations of these colors by adding white, black or the other colors shown in the paint swatch on the right.

Started rendering the background. And reworking the background. And reworking yet again. Then I decided to take a break and work on the foreground. Hopefully I will see where to take this painting in making everything else more secondary and abstract.

As I began rendering the bird, I also started to see the abstract shapes forming in the background. There is a square of light under the bird, almost like a spotlight. There is also an arc of light perpendicular through the neck of the creature. There are also little ringlets and arcs in the water from the light rain, a repeating motif.

2024: A Year of Experiments

Previously through our travels, I had collected photos of interesting doors and painted small canvases to document. Not sure what I thought I was going to do with all of those canvases at the time, but after finding a rectangle door shaped canvas in the art store, I thought, “I am going to make a door of doors and attach all these small canvases to a large canvas of a door. I added a bit of graffiti effect to the whole design including the attached doors. 

After cleaning out boxes of CD’s/DVD’s, I was mourning over the waste. I thought, “I can make a mosaic! Easier said than done. The disks were very difficult to cut into pieces. I looked for advice on Google and Youtube that recommended boiling them…failed. I tried kitchen shears and garden shears and they shattered, not in a good way, or separated. I finally found a pair of shears that would cut them but it was very difficult and not all the CDs were the same, some cut and some still shattered. I completed my piece but never again. 

Some of the furniture pieces from our old house I was unable to sell or give away, I decided to repurpose. On Pinterest I saw many examples of painted couches and tables. I read all the articles and gathered all the materials, studied graffiti styles and gathered my favorite phrases. This was the result. I love them but I am still selling them to make space in my studio. If you have the space, it is a cool way to reuse perfectly good pieces. My husband thinks I am crazy with all my harebrained ideas. 

While I was in the graffiti mood, I completed this next piece. This was not experimental, but was inspired by a photo taken in Lisbon during our travels.  This was followed by the next two paintings, one was an experiment in modeling past and another was actually a simplification of a photo of a bird.

Many of you know that I have been collaborating with a group of artists on a community project. It initially involved 24 large aluminum hearts painted by local artists. This idea has been developed into an installation involving a center sculpture, which is being fabricated by a very talented sculptor, Michael Baggerly. Pictured here is the progress on this project and an example of a few of the aluminum hearts.  These hearts will be imbedded into a fence surrounding the center sculpture.

Highlights of 2022: The Universe Opens

This recap of the year is late, but not because 2022 was not a good one. There was not a high bar of comparison after 2 years of Covid. Because of a vowed to travel and reintegrate this year after 2 years of solitude, our reward was contracting the virus in May. Oh well, eventually has to happen to all of us. We started our year in Savannah, which you may know, my time and creativity is divided between there and Nashville. I have been working on a couple of sculptures there and decided to bring them to Nashville to complete. They are not finished, but they are following a theme I have been exploring that was inspired by The Universe in a Nutshell, a book by Stephen Hawking. A large canvas-turned-mural with the same name also completed in Nashville is scheduled to go up in a week or so at the Discovery Center at Murfree Springs, a local children’s museum. Years ago I was a scientific illustrator at a UT Chair of excellence so I am a little geeky about science and sci-fi.

Parvin Etesami was a famous Persian poet who, before her time, was vocal about women and the underprivileged. This commissioned portrait features one of her poems about a poor homeless boy and it covers the background behind her.

In February we traveled to the Mardi Gras where my only creative activity included face painting and enjoying all the crazy floats.

On one of my visits to Savannah I completed a few inter coastal works. My painting definitely has a different vibe on Skidaway Island. So glad we have this creative retreat with abundant wildlife and beautiful moss covered trees.

In April, after many Covid-related delays, the Leading Ladies play premiered with all its many facets including works of art and a mural completed previously, but featured during the sponsor party. This was a labor of love of many creatives and a great accomplishment added to the Rutherford Arts Alliance’s hat and Andrea Loughry’s as well.

During the summer I worked on a community paint of mural artists in graffiti alley.  This led to my other mural experiences for the year, including the science mural.

Reeves Sain is an iconic drugstore with a soda shop in Murfreeboro Tennessee. They have the most delicious milkshakes! I was proud to be a part of this project since my children grew up drinking milkshakes there after school or soccer practice.

In August a trip to Bordeaux revealed not only fantastic wines, but lots of public art. During bike rides through the backroads of the city we discovered this talented artist everywhere. There is a nod to him in my museum mural.

In September I helped an very talented artist friend with this temporary panel mural featuring many artists in our area. It went up at the Walnut House in Murfreeboro Tennessee replacing the one completed during Covid. It was created this way so artists could participate in the mural without working side by side.

The rest of the year was spent In travels and a move. Not much time to create except for very small projects like these small and portable canvases satisfying my door fetish and these crazy warped skyscrapers with birds on a wire. Cheers to 2023 having many exciting adventures ahead!

Savannah's Skidaway Island Inspiration

Many know that I divide my creativity and time between Savannah Georgia and Middle Tennessee. The chill vibe and scenic surroundings in Georgia inspire a different feel to my paintings. Skidaway Island is near Savannah on the intercoastal waterway. When I am headed to Skidaway Island there is a bridge called the Diamond Causeway. As I cross this bridge to the island I feel the stress drop away. In this new setting, I slow down, take walks and bike rides and take in the beauty. There are beautiful trees with Spanish moss, palm trees and lots of tropical vegetation. When relaxing on my patio, all types of singing birds and the scampering of other creatures can be heard. The deer, squirrels, rabbits, and armadillos make regular appearances. My studio on the upper floor has windows on both sides and lots of natural light. But when it is dark, it is pitch. No painting, only relaxing at this point. There are not a lot of street lamps, just lots of wilderness. As you can probably tell, I love it there.

I thought I would share one of my recent paintings which was taken at sunset on Moon River…yes named after the song. Usually I begin with a sketch to establish composition and value before progressing to canvas. The the paint is applied in many layers with lots of time in between for observation.

Here are some other landscapes completed in the last few months in Savannah.

Highlights of 2021: Year Two of Covid19

Staying upbeat, inspired and creative in 2021 during Covid19 has been a challenge for many artists. For a group of 20 of us, even though we were unable paint together, we finished a mural painted with gratitude and hope to our community. The panels were painted individually and then assembled into a collage mural at the Walnut House. A framework was built with wires and the art/insulation panels were threaded on the wires like beads. The first of its kind that I am aware of…ingenuity in the face of adversity thanks to Ricki Martini at the Walnut House.

Next, I finished 3 covid19 themed paintings, one of which was a gift to the hospital. It seemed appropriate because at the time our hospital, nurses and doctors were overwhelmed.

Other paintings completed during the year were for my own therapy. I lost myself in work and the textured paint chip swirl painting was extremely time consuming and theraputic. This painting is titled, “Solice.” The painting named “Petrus Santi” conveyed the need for healing and hope as the patron Saint Peter is meant to provide. The last painting “Behind,” was inspired as I was sitting in my car passenger seat and saw a man in a hoodie in the rearview mirror. I took a picture and thought, that is where Covid needs to be, behind us all.

My mural fix was appeased in Miami. Love looking at the creative walls in other cities. Such spontaneous creations! They don’t look like they were organized projects by the city.

Also, during 2021 we purchased a vacation home in Savannah and now I divide my time and inspiration between two studios. It is nice to switch up scenery. We are on the intercoastal waterway next to the marsh with so much wildlife and weeping foliage.

In October I participated in a mural project called “Consensual Vandalism.” with many other artists in our community in Graffiti Alley behind the Church Street Gallery. We all had our own space and covered the walls of the alley. It was a great day hanging with other artists.

I ended the year participating in two shows. The Rutherford Arts Alliance annually curates a show in the City Hall Rotunda for our members. This year the theme was “The Science of Creativity” and my work was titled “Pareidolia,” which is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind responds to stimulus usually an image or sound by perceiving a familiar pattern where none exists. It’s a form of apophenia, which is a more general term for the human tendency to seek patterns in random information. There was phenomenal work from many RAA visual artists and photographers.

Next and through the end of the year was the Laureate show. All past and present Laureates were invited to show, and of course I included and concluded with my Covid themed work.

Goodbye 2021! Cheers to a fantastic, creative, and serendipitous 2022!

Highlights of 2020: A Year of Creative Therapy

Despite a very tumultuous year for the world, many of us in the creative community managed to purposefully have an creative theraputic year. It has been absolutely essential to consistently engage in mind renewing to not fall into the gloom and negativity of all that was happening around and the constant media amplification. Creativity was the key for me.

Before the Covid shutdown several trips were very inspirational and recharging: Portugal and Miami with their beautiful public art and a month in tree-mossed Savannah. The rest of the year was spent secluded among family and few friends or via zoom

It was great fun painting 3 large portraits. Included among the other work during the year, were three Covid themed paintings and a mural celebrating the anniversary of the 19th Amendment called “Leading Ladies.”

It was also a privilege to participate in and curate an exhibit at our City Hall Rotunda with the Rutherford Arts Alliance. Artists are very special people and it is always a joy to interact with them, share work and brainstorm about the future.

More recently, returning to my sculptural painting style, I started a painting inspired by Baroque architecture with a modern twist. As a gift to the community I am rallying artists in a pop-up mural with the theme “Hope and Encouragement Through Creativity.” 20 artists will paint panels and they will be assembled collage style into a temporary mural.

This year, City of Murfreesboro willing, we will see the Heart of Tennessee sculpture finally materialize in the Breezeway by Gateway Island. We are very close to presenting to City Council. This is a picture of the scaled 3-D model. Beyond regular inspirational travel, it is my hope to take one trip specifically dedicated to advancing creative endeavors.

What are your hopes for 2021?

Painting Progression: Elizabeth

After starting with a series of studies to work out the light and dark areas of the painting, I was ready to transfer the image to canvas. The sketches also help me to think about composition. Extra care taken during this phase helps with proportions and to create a correct likeness of the subject for the finished canvas. Extra care was especially given to the eyes and smile to convey the personality of my model and her obvious attempt to stifle a laugh.

Laid in initial paint in face and the beginnings of shadow and highlight. Many layers to come.

Laid in the dark areas of the painting and the rest of the skin tones. Worked very different with this third portrait of the family since I usually start with an underpainting of a wash composed of brown and navy mixed. I also usually complete most of the background before working on the figure. Pros and cons to both techniques but I believe I prefer the former because of the charcoal absorbed by the paint. Had to add several extra layers to compensate.

Almost finish. Just a few minor adjustments and background layers to finish up and then I will be ready to varnish. So much fun!

Painting Progression Reflected Building

Are you ever intrigued by the distortions created in the reflections of the glass of a building? This painting is a starting point and will develop as I explore the shapes and swirls in the reflections.

So easy to get lost in all the shapes created by the distortions in the building. Have to pull back for awhile and revisit the overall flow and how this painting will finish.

I have been negligent at posting progressions. But now, I am finished after a long absence. Very tedious, but fufilling like finishing a puzzle.

Painting Progression: Forgotten Tennessee

Started new painting so I decided to share my progression. This is from a photo from very talented photographer Jerry Winnett.

After sketching design on canvas, started underpainting to establish composition and values. Next, modeling paste will be added to add texture to elements in the foreground

Applied first layer of modeling paste. See you tomorrow!

Started adding paint over the modeling paste. Switched the windows from what is in the photo to change the focal point.

Painting Progression Continues….covering all the modeling paste with base color. Will continue to add layers of paint after this process.

Destroyed Paintings

Decided to destroy the paintings I hate most

Destroyed paintings reborn

Painting Progression: Vienna Old Reflected in the New

Initial design on Canvas

Continue underpainting

Start applying reflected images

Added all the reflected sky

Trying to finish this painting for the Art Studio Tour. Big undertaking since it is so detailed.

Finally finished! Can’t believe this took me so long to finish. i loved getting lost in all the distortions on the reflected glass.

Sculptural Painting Progression Clock Tower

Sketch from sketchbook transferred to canvas

Finalized lines with underpainting

Began applying modeling paste in layers

Continuing modeling paste layering

Finished layering modeling paste and completed underpainting

Started background painting.

Continued painting background. Added ghosted image of current clock tower in background

Started painting some foreground elements. Will swich to the background again later.

Continuing to work forground and add color and shapes to background

Nearing completion! Have really enjoyed the detail and histoy in this piece.

Think I am finished. I will hang and look at it for a time before the show

Sculptural Painting of Broken Castle Window Finished

After modeling paste was applied and fully dry, painting begins.

Finished work available at www.creativevisionssculpturalpainting.com/virginiatogryepaintings

Painting Progression of Broken Castle Window

Started new window project with sketch on canvas and began adding modeling paste with various palette knives.

Continued adding modeling paste over entire canvas to represent texture of stone. 

Painting Progression Door #1

After initial sketch from photograph I transferred sketch to canvas and applied modeling paste

Added acrylic paint after modeling paste was dry for several days.

Rough sketch from photograph

Sculptural Painting Progression Horse in Barn

Initial photo and sketch

After applying modeling paste and drying process, begin painting

Finished design

Sculptural Painting of Cliff Side Progression

Sketch from photograph. Crop image aesthetically for better design on canvas. Transfer design to canvas. 

Apply modeling paste with a palette knife and begin painting

Painting continues

Finish painting.  Accentuate tree to show perspective of cliff side.