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Finished...the first painting of the new year

2/29/16

MoonGlow
MoonGlow ........and she does glow, especially in low light.  I used smoke tree seed pods to make an interesting texture at the base and paired that with a really cool black crystal stone I picked up in Germany.  There is black yarn as well coming out of the top of the molding paste flow. she is 24" tall and 10" wide...I seem to be getting taller and thinner with each new year???

Several more painting are started as the Studio Tour on Camano is in May, and I want some cool new paintings to show.

 


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Working with new elements

2/26/16

Last year I played with shadowbox canvases and came up with some cool designs..this year I am using these canvases and adding a layer of collage covered with a layer of pouring medium to seal the paper and yarn in.  In the photo the pouring medium is not quite dry and is still milky...but you can see how it is going to give a real layered look. On the second I love the way the paper looks as is and will leave it "dry."  It was great fun to dig through my huge basket of yarns to find just the right ones!! Now, to decide...does it need the molding paste flow..or not??? We will see as I go along.....hard to plan when working with new materials.  Thus..the experiment....will it work?? or not?? If it does, you will see the results.


collage dry
pouring medium
 


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Poire Noire

2/26/16

Poire Noire
Metallic papers on black...hard to beat. These are very special papers with some awesome yarns...I have been collecting stacks of both and love it when they all come together.  I especially love the black lines between the pieces in this pear.. It is in a really nice antiqued gold frame.

 


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More collage????

2/7/16

collage in process
Collage has become one of my things!!! Now that I have a  pretty extensive collection of beautiful papers it has dominated my work time in the studio.  My good friend, Molly, also likes to do collage so we got together yesterday to play.  One of our topics of conversation during the six hours we worked on these was....do people really understand how much time it takes to do one of these?? We decided..probably not.  

First, you have to have the papers. Now, you can make them like I have done for my Power Women or you can buy them as you come across them, or you can have another art buddy with such a stash that it is unbelievable who gives you samples.  This process of accumulating papers takes time and money.  I have been building my stash for several years now.

Second, you have to have a design that you really like that you think will work with collage.  Then you find your base paper....I have been using watercolor paper but yesterday tried the black bristol board which is going to be dynamite!

Now, transfer your design to your base...how does one do that on black...I wonder??
It is pretty simple on the white s I have a light box so I can trace it.

Fourth, the hard part.....find the papers you want to work with.  This is a big mess and took me two hours yesterday.  Having lots to chose from is a blessing and a curse....finding just the right ones is very important and then...which look best next to one another.  It is much faster for me to just mix paint!!!

Fifth, make a pattern sheet from tracing paper and start cutting out the shapes from the papers. Yesterday, I heard a lot of "Have you glued anything down yet?" My answer,"No."  Not until I had all the pieces and had arranged and rearranged and changed the order and position several times was I ready to glue it down!!!

Sixth, started attaching to the base.  Here you have more choices..what adhesive do I use wit this paper on this background....thereare  loads of choices. This process took about an hour  after spending 5 hours getting ready for it. Now, I have two pear collages that are ready to be finished with the final details....leaves and yarn..flick paint???
Seventh, finishing details...mat...frame???

It's a process folks....and this is a very simple design....Molly's birds take forever as she cuts out each individual feather from a different paper. The advantage is that we can have very nice prints made or cards made from this design, so it can be available in several formats for the upcoming Studio Tour in May.
Happy Day...May and Spring!

 


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Camano Island Mural Project

2/1/16

Today was the big unveiling of the Camano Island Mural Project.  30 artists and and many businesses came together to make it happen.  Now we have the big mural in the sculpture park along with the very nice garden and welcoming center...Dan Koffman's Gallery is located there to welcome visitors to the island. It is just in front of the great kids playground that Rotary put in a few years ago.

We each got a square to design and there is everything from painting to glass, pottery, collage...it is a quilt of many types of media depicting the shape of Camano Island. It was hard for me to see how it would all come together and look good...but it did. You can even buy a smaller version with some of the money going to the scholarship program that CAA runs.
My square is right above Island..with the 5 red crabs!

 


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Finding inspiration!

2/1/16

The colors of blue...lots of blues and blue greens...gorgeous flowers and wonderful smells...just what an artist needs to get inspired!  My trip to Maui to visit my sister was just what I needed to get those create juices flowing.  Many of my abstract paintings have that golden beach and warm tropical water look and now you know why.

 The backside of Molokini offered a look down of 150 feet to a blue I have never seen before...a snorkeling experience beyond my wildest dreams...and now I am dreaming of that color! Soon to experiment with creating it on canvas!

Also saw some awesome underwater photography and some gyotaku fish prints at Nuka that have me itching to make more of my own.  The hike in the I'oa Valley and into the crater were also inspiring. 
I think I can get into this kind of vacation...lots of exciting new experiences...like laulau at the Kula Farmer's Market...and hula lessons.....another look for my Power Women????


 


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I loved seeing the beauty of my home through an artist eyes! To look more closely at colors and forms and be excited by them is one of Helen's gifts. Thank you!
-- Mary, 2/8/16

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Helen's Originals showcases abstract acrylic mixed media, printmaking with monotypes, dry point and gyotaku, figurative collage, and informative blog entries. 

 Helen Saunders • Camano Island, WA • 360-320-0136

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