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I’ve spent the past week working on a new series of paintings. A parcel arrived in the post with big tubes of colour, I hadn’t used before. What could be more motivating to get me back in the studio, than, new art supplies, especially after weeks of medical and physio appointments getting in the way.
I didn’t want to open them and make dents in the big chunky tubes. When I finally did, it was quite confronting, to play with colour I knew nothing about. I took the plunge, slapped it on, moved it about, without thinking too much. Enjoying the colour, texture and flow of the paint. The process, I knew would take care of itself. I just had to be present, stand back, look and go back into it.
Quickly, I came up with the first layer which I was very happy with. Of course, I went back in with more layer’s wanting further depth and richness.
I now, look back at the photos, taken at the start of the process and maybe, I lost the freshness, freedom and flow of the marks I had at the start. Maybe, I didn’t need to go any further…
I believe sometimes, the essence of the story is at the beginning and “nothing else” is needed to tell it.
A small selection of artworks available from my studio. To see the artworks below and more, please go to the Art section in the menu on the left.
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It’s a chilly weekend in Melbourne, hope you are all keeping warm xox
Exploring objects and textiles is keeping me away from painting in the studio at the moment, but that’s ok, because I’m not just a painter…..
Today, I have been working with time and nature but, now it’s too hot to do anything much, as the temp in the valley has reached 39 Celsius and getting hotter.
I get torn between contemporary and lush, extravagant. Old bones, textiles, rusted wires, watch faces, bits of stick with moss , vintage cosmetic bottles and handmade French influenced, embellishments are on my bench.
Memories and feelings keep flooding back from my times spent in France. Especially touched by Versailles palace and other places in Europe and England. Old history feeds my creativity.
Old rusted wire and found textiles are twisted and sewn with gold threads and remind me of couture and Versailles decadent history.
Formed into fragments that will probably be part of something else.
This one looks like a weird kind of bird.
I’ve also had the de-clutter bug lately so its feels liberating to use up stuff Ive been hoarding for ever.
To all my family, friends and followers. I wish you all a very “Happy & Joyful Christmas”
May the the “New Year” ahead bring you happiness, kindness, peace and good health with plenty of creativity. To those struggling, may your healing journey be short and you find your inner harmony, peace & renewed physical health swiftly. Jenny Davis 2018.
Balance, colour, repetition, scale and transparency is what I took away from that exhibition.
Copyright Jenny Davis
As a child, I too, would build little towers of objects in my bedroom.
Still today I play and stack with my vast collection of vintage objects.
The towers have been getting higher and higher over time and eventually, I aim to make huge, tall one’s, up to the roof or even higher.
Now back to the painting…I’m not sure if I’ve resolved it yet, as something about it is still annoying me. Maybe that’s a good thing?… as sometimes things that are a bit odd are more successful.
Recently, I’ve been unable to focus fully on my work. I feel I may have too many things going on in my life and need to simplify. I’ve also been procrastinating too long, putting off a few decisions, I need to make, regarding my arts practice. I know, I just have to get on with it, if I only knew what “IT” was ? Also, its been hard lately having to divide my time, between creating and dealing with with other life circumstances that have been cropping up. I know as an artist, my main focus is to create, or nothing will get done, but more important, my inner- self will suffer.
In the meantime, my daughter and her partner (xox) , gifted me a trip to London to visit them. After not seeing her for a few years, it was so nice to catch up and do stuff together again. We managed to fit in some very interesting exhibitions. The Anni Albers (1899-1994) textile exhibition at Tate Modern, was excellent. She was student of the Bauhaus art school and like other women at that time , was discouraged from becoming a painter. Instead, she enrolled in the weaving shop and made textiles her means of expression. Albers rose to become an influential figure, exploring the technical limits of hand-weaving to pioneer innovative uses of woven fabric as art, architecture and design.
Fashioned from Nature, explores the complex relationship between fashion and nature from 1600 to the present day.
A Frida Kahlo exhibition of her belongings. There was also huge jewelry exhibition and video game exhibition on. The collections are immense. I particularly enjoyed Asian textiles & objects.
It took a bit of getting around the V&A building, as its built around a very large inner courtyard. The signage wasn’t brilliant and quite confusing. I only saw a small portion of the collections and if I get another chance Id like explore it some more.
A “Kunstkammer” of cabinets full of weird and wonderful curiosities. Extraordinary dioramas displayed in a dark underground cellar, reached only by going down a very steep, spiral stair case.
I also managed to do a brief bit of mudlarking on the Thames. I found a handful of bits & pieces. A handmade nail used to secure sails to the masts of sailing ships and a few shards of pottery and I think part of a Tudor terracotta tile.
I’m home in Australia now and slowly getting back into studio mode. Having spent time with my family and inspired by new adventurers, I’m feeling more nurtured to just get on with “IT” and not think too much.
Update 2018! Since writing this recipe in 2014, Ive been using this homemade Gesso recipe, for 14 years now and haven’t had an issue, with ageing, layers coming apart, seepage, changes in colour etc. on any of my artworks. I use it with both oil and acrylic paints. I also seal my papers with it when, making books, sewing on paper, paper for collage, painting with paint, inks etc. As to the quality, I find the homemade isn’t as white, but just as good quality, as professional artists Gesso. I also use store bought gesso too, if I’ve run out and for convenience. My version is more gritty, than store bought, but if you sandpaper in between coats, I find it’s not an issue. For me, this recipe is just as good as, the store bought and if you use archival PVA/Elmers glue, it will make it all the more stable, for longevity.
I love Gesso paint and use heaps of it in my work. It’s gritty, chalky and can be applied to artwork to give a translucent or opaque look. It’s also very expensive so I decided to make my own.
Gesso is used for many things such as a primer for canvas or on paper to give a good base for painting, drawing or mixed media work. When making collage I use it as a gluing medium to stick on papers, in-between, painting and drawing layers.
The recipe below makes 2 litres of Gesso paint
( If not using straight away, this Gesso will last approx. 4-6 weeks)
Homemade Gesso
PLASTER MIX
1 cup Plaster of Paris or fine white plaster powder
1 cup of PVA or white glue (archival if available)
1 cup hot water
PAINT
3 cups white acrylic paint
UTENSILS
Container, cup and mixing stick or spoon
RATIO: 1-3
Plaster Mix 1 – Acrylic paint 3
Method
To make the plaster mix. Add the plaster to the hot water and stir ( Safety purposes: always add the plaster powder to the liquid, not liquid to plaster, as it will blow up into your face and always wear a dust mask)
Dust Mask
“Plaster of Paris” and cup
Hot water and mix
Next add the PVA or white glue, stir.
Finally add the white acrylic paint and mix. ( I used some acrylic powder paint I had and made it up with water) You can use any kind of acrylic paint or colour .
Result
I was very happy with the result. The gesso is translucent with the gritty bits I like. You can also do several layers of gesso to give a more opaque appearance. It covered my canvas very well with only 1 coat. When adding more than 1 coat you can sand in- between to give a really smooth surface for detailed work .
Line is a point moving in space. Playing with line fascinates to me. By letting go and just allowing the movement to take over, allows me to go in-between, out and off edges.
The materials I use vary. I may use paint, pencil or crayon on vintage book papers, thread on antique cloth, scratch with implements, or, use wire to make tangles. Lines often define the edges of a form, but not very often in my arts practice.
Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or thin.
I’m not sure how I feel about showing artworks with mock -up backgrounds. So, recently I purchased a few mock – ups, and have been playing around with them. I’d like to display my artworks a little bit differently, being, there are, so many other artists online. I’m just wondering, if putting artworks with interesting backgrounds, makes any difference, for viewers, collectors etc. and, in getting it found in the search engines easier. I think they look cleaner, but at the same time, I don’t want to categorize my artwork as being, just “interior design” pieces. I’d love to hear what others think…
If you feel inclined, your welcome to add a comment at the bottom of this post.
Do you like to see artworks viewed in a room, or framed ? or do you prefer see artworks on their own, with no backgrounds?
You can also view some of my artworks in rooms in my gallery area
New paintings available in my gallery. “Rustmatter” series. I want to capture the “beauty & hope” in decline, before its gone and continues my investigation into the disintegration and decay of the environment, of life and the human psyche.
Experiments with layers of rust, paint, iron shavings and salt. Finally, surfaces emerged, worn , weathered and sometimes ancient. I then sealed the paintings to keep stable and lock in the layers.
Each painting is a visual and textural descent into the abandoned, the derelict, the vacant and the forgotten. Curator & Arts Writer,Dr. Ewen Jarvis.
