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Sunday 30 November 2014

Turquoise Challenge

Amongst Friends and Growth Rings
                                                 Amongst Friends      acrylic on mulberry paper

These two works are both studies using turquoise. I hope to work larger in my pod series on mulberry paper from textured collographs using cloth and sand gel. 
My other plans are to continue a series using abstracted natural forms as inspiration to make some larger themed works,  incorporating spheres and varied qualities of line. Lots of inspiration has come from attending the World Festival of Threads this week, in particular from the subtleties observed in the work of Karen Rips and powerful tribal totems of Alice Vander Vennen.
My observations here are that a small increase in colour intensity or a small amount of colour  against grey can go a long way in creating emphasis.  To create more unity, I will increase the visibility of the growth rings or intersect them, to promote a more dominant theme. Wax resist, fine white scribble marker or stitch could be used to further experiment with mark making.   

10 comments:

  1. So delicate and subtle, I'd love to see your pieces in person. They are very unique and beautiful and I envy your ability to work in series.

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  2. Two great pieces, Michele - but I just love Growth Rings! It's dark, mysterious but with that beautiful chink of turquoise hope. That small amount of turquoise says so much.

    I followed up on the artists you mentioned and found Karen Rip (I have a lot of empathy with her work) here: http://www.karenrips.com/
    and Alice Vander Vennen here: http://www.alicevandervennen.ca/ She has a very distinctive style and I would have immediately based her in NW Canada because some of her work looks like totem poles and back-woodsie with the twigs, but I see she lives in Cobourg, Ontario - couldn't be further from the Pacific NW.

    Do please share any of your new pieces which come from your present thinking.

    Hilary

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  3. I think they are both successful in their own way. Line and texture is an important element in both of them.

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  4. The turquoise and yellow in both make them sing. And give my eye a travelling direction. I like them both very much.

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  5. They are so different, well balance and appealing.

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  6. There is a real sense of movement in the first one. I love your use of the turquoise in both.

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  7. It must be a family thing but I also see the mystery in the second piece which for me gives it the edge over the first. Great.

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  8. i love this pod series of yours michele. for me, the way you use the pod in your work, it symbolizes feminity.
    your colors in both pieces, while being so dissimilar work so well together.
    great compositions

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  9. I really like both of these, but by favourite is 'Growth Rings': I like the marks and the subtle use of colour.

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  10. Are we choosing favourites? Then I'm for Amongst Friends - those pods nestle so comfortably together ...

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