Maximize your Imagination and Capture Ideas Wherever you Find Them

(Sumo Wrestlers between rounds)

I used to wonder where the wild critters came from in fantasy and horror movies. Now I know. They are inspired by the real world and a vivid imagination.

When I am out walking with my husband, he sees leaves, trees, and flowers, while I see strange creatures waiting for me up ahead or hiding in the shadows; shapes of animals that would seem very comfortable on the pages of a Dr. Seuss book or a in a Jurassic Park flick.

I can't help myself! I see faces and budding cartoon characters in the plush shadows of carpet and in the loops of shag rugs. I always say I'm going to create a painting from one of them some day, but the images are quickly forgotten. Why? Because I forget to jot them down.

Well this time, I decided to hold myself to my promise. A shag throw rug was my canvas, and in it I saw a large Japanese face; but not just any face, a cubist shaped face that only a mother could love. 

I saw vivid and bold colors in orange reds and browns with accents of blue and green. I knew I wanted Japanese lettering, and I took it a step further and imagined the words of a recipe scrawled across this abstract scenario.

After sketching a very quick rough idea of what I wanted, I began to do my research. I ended up with a Sumo Wrestler for a model because I had clearly seen his ebony "topknot" right there in my shag carpet.

I am still putting the pieces of this composition together. What I didn't know at the time was why a recipe, and why a Sumo Wrestler?  Then a lightbulb went on in my head! The title of my painting would be "Stir-Fry." It paired nicely with what wrestlers do as they twist and turn their bodies together and slam them down on the matt.

Now if I can just see my vision clearly enough to paint what I desire. For me, ideas are the fun part of creating. I can see what I want in my head, but sometimes my skill level hasn't quite reached that pinnacle of perfection. I hope in the next few weeks you will enjoy this creative ride with me!

炒め

Yasai Itame

Ingredients

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 tsp ginger, minced

5 oz (150g) pork, thinly sliced and cut small

7oz (200g) cabbage

4oz (120g) bean sprouts

1/2 carrot

1/2 onion

1/2 green pepper

1/4 -1/2 tsp salt

Pepper

2 tsp soy sauce

Instructions

1.    Cut cabbage into 2" squares, and cut carrot, onion, and green pepper into thin slices.

2.   Put oil, garlic, and ginger in a wok, and heat at medium heat. After the wok is hot, add pork and fry for a couple of minutes, stirring until brown.

3.  Add vegetables, turn to high heat, and cook stirring constantly until vegetables wilt (but do not over cook).

4.   Add salt, pepper, soy sauce to taste, mix, and remove from heat to serve.

Making Japanese Stir-Fry 

  

Stepping out of Your Comfort Zone

"Hey, Coconut Mon!" mixed media on canvas

When we’re young, we test the rules and skirt the ragged edge of danger. We experiment. We try on different styles and personalities. Some of us flaunt the rules and go into the unknown only to reap the consequences of our experimentation. But for most of us, somewhere along the way, we settle into what seems right and comfortable.

Don’t you wish that for a brief moment you could step out of the present paradigm and slip into another? Do you wish you were more daring and less predictable? A few days ago I decided to give it a go. I had a vague notion of what I wanted on canvas. I made no sketches. I didn’t even test the waters of my idea.

Work-in-Progress "Sea Breazes" acrylic on 30 x 24 wrapped canvas

I started to brush. It felt good! I slathered on paint and let my muse lead me. Swept along by intuition, I dabbed on color and highlights. Now I’m letting it rest while I contemplate my next move. Will the canvas require more changes? Probably. What will I do if it’s an utter failure? I’ll likely paint over it and start again. We all need to have that feeling of freedom. You know, when you just allow what you have learned and what you yearn for to take over?

If your idea doesn’t bloom and grow, it doesn't matter. You are experimenting with feelings, shapes, color and texture. The context is the story you are trying to tell. My current work-in-progress was inspired by my love for palm trees and my fondness for living near the ocean and the Gulf Coastal regions.

I added more color, but did it work? More contemplation!

The colors are those that I live with every day. I hope I can find the right combination of dazzle and sizzle to make my creation work. I’m calling this piece: “Sea Breezes” because that’s exactly what’s happening as the soft warm air flows across the Gulf through the palm fronds and into my world.

Take time once in awhile to leave your comfortable habits behind and open yourself to discovery. Switch things up. Change your usual canvas size. Go bigger (or smaller). Use a larger brush. Try a new color combination on canvas. Add a collage or two and a smattering of design in the background. The point is to do something different from the norm.

I recommend these books. They will not only inspire you, but dare you to experiment and then show you how: “Experimental Painting” by Lisa L. Cyr; “Art Revolution” by the same author (see Youtube fideo below), and “Journeys to Abstraction” by Sue St. John. 

If you discover something new about yourself in the process, please share it with me. I’d love to hear what happened when you crossed over into that ethereal place where things of wonder are created and magic happens!

"Window" oil on oval canvas

The Party’s Over – it’s Time to Call it a Day

"And all that Jazz" 11 x 14 acrylic / framed in a recessed red boxed frame!

We’re back! (Sounds like Jack Nicholson in the Shining) The morning after the long drive home, we went for our usual three mile walk. It felt sooo good! I was delighted to see that the Bob Whites had returned. They were flooded out four years ago, and this is the first glimpse I’ve had of them since that time. They are such delightful birds.

Seeing The Bob Whites made me determined to create a canvas for them. I had done a drawing some time ago, and now I want to permanently honor these adorable birds.

"Bob White" 11 x 14 matted print ready to frame
http://www.etsy.com/anfinsenart 

In one blog, I told you how my husband had learned to imitate their cheery whistle “bob bob white.” If we didn’t see them, he’d whistle their call and soon they would answer. They had a warm interchange back and forth until my husband tired of the game.

Before we left Fort Myers, they had pruned our bushes and trees. It looked like a war zone! This time of year, the neighborhoods begin to look like a jungle, and in some areas they were starting to. Upon our return, we were pleased to see that our street was neat and back in flower. The pruning had made the leaves grow back in super thick and green.

Our new remodeled kitchen welcomed us home. There are still things to do, but it was great to see the glistening shine of new paint and granite counter tops. New appliances are being delivered on Friday to replace our old, rusted out ones. What a difference it will make!

"Shimmy Shake" 11 x 14 acrylic in black box recessed frame
http://www.etsy.com/anfinsenart

It was good to visit with friends and family in Georgia, but I’m eager to get back to painting. It almost feels like Christmas. The anticipation is "killing me. I have a canvas, and in my next blog I’ll show you what I have in mind. This time around, I’m working on an abstract design with a tropical flare.

I also have some vintage canvases in mind. I tried to search for “discontinued products,” but didn’t find what I was looking for. Can you help? I would like to paint some product signs that are no longer in use.

I first thought of “Hires” root beer which has technically been discontinued except in Utah where they still sell Hires root beer kits to make a homemade brew using dry ice for the bubbles. I have tasted this mix and it is excellent!

I want to add some more vintage style artwork to my repertoire of retro paintings. Those were created using old sheet music covers as a jumping off place for my compositions. This time around, I thought the old signs would be fun.

Choose your Preference: Experienced, Mature, or Seasoned Professional?

"Release" 24 x 30 mixed media on canvas. (Currently adding two smaller side panels)

The “Old Masters” offered artists the fundamentals of drawing, painting, and envisioning. Today we shun the label “old” preferring “mature” or “seasoned” to describe our depth of Professionalism, whether as an athlete, a writer, a musician or an artist; it’s all in how you look at it.

In reading the “Life of Pi” this statement caught my eye: “Life can either be a dry, yeastless factuality, or the better story.”

I don’t know about you, but I want my life to be the “better story!” I want everything I do to reflect what I am and who I am. I want my voice to resound with truth and clarity. I want my paintings to sing, my words to dance, and my vision to connect with others. I want to live my life with passion and enthusiasm.

Still, in comparison to the Masters, I’m a novice. I’m still a student learning from my mistakes, and struggling to become better.

"Cafe Costa Rica" acrylic on 20 x 20 canvas in floating frame

In an article written by J. Thomas Soltesz called: “Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” posted in the April 2007 issue of “the artists magazine,” this truth hit me square in the face. “To me,” Soltesz said, “the most important aspects of painting are to be able to see, remember what you see, and have the skills to reinterpret what you see in unique and beautiful ways.”

I try to do this, but sometimes my efforts are met with frustration and the risk of being misunderstood. Many of my landscapes have an abstract quality that veers from realism. Some traditional artists are taken aback and offended; others see the vision or the feeling I’m trying to convey. In taking risks, we all face the dilemma of exploring new ground on the cutting edge, or of caving in to safety by producing what everyone else is doing.

"Sunset on the Nile" 24 x 30 acrylic on canvas in silver frame

I acknowledge that I sometimes go out on a limb. I try something different and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But we have to try! Like many self-taught artists, I fell into a few traps in the beginning.

Soltesz goes on to say “Simplicity is key: It’s the simple color changes and blending of edges that ultimately determine whether the painting works or not. For example, the experienced painter tries to see what he can leave out of a painting to make it successful, while the beginner puts everything in.”

Does this sound familiar? He continues: “Know where you’re going. See the painting already complete on the canvas before you start. Richard Schmid is the master of what I call ‘realism out of abstraction,’ which he describes the way the retina actually sees images, focusing on one area of contrast and making the rest an abstraction.”

"Kelly's Rose" mixed media on wood panel

When I read this article, it was like Thomas was speaking right at me. Another concern I have is that my portfolio is too diverse going from serious portraits to contemporary paintings to illustrations and cartooning. I was so pleased to read his closing comments:

“Always challenge yourself to explore new avenues to avoid falling into a rut.” Amen!

Ace Hardware has a new sales slogan: “Find Your Soul Paint.”  I’m making it my own in reverse: “Paint Your Soul.”