As Seen Along the Back Roads

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As Seen Along the Back Roads
'Is this "readable"?', I asked my family. Since I have been working on a large diptych for the last several weeks, and doing some plein air painting, this is the first small studio work in a while for me. I took the photo that I referenced for this painting several years ago, on an evening when my Beloved Husband and I were meandering home after watching the harness racing up in Amish country.

6" x 6"
Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on cradled wood panel
Edges painted black

Lately, it has been a little tricky finding a good rhythm for painting, between lots of plein air events, new places to display my work, new work schedules, and miscellaneous summer activities. Maybe the craziness will actually help me as I have to squeeze painting in between other things - maybe I will get better at painting faster. Or, maybe not... 

One of the last plein air events I participated in left me with a lot of paint that needed to be used right away. I use palette paper en plein air, and when I finish a painting, I fold the paper in half. It makes a more or less air tight seal, and the paint stays mostly usable for quite a while. I think I had seven papers with piles of wet paint, just waiting to be used up. Just to keep my painting interesting, I used only one tool to apply the paint throughout the entire work - a kitchen scraper! This silicon tool is probably my favorite tool in my studio, and I purchased it to use in my kitchen before I was painting as much as I do now. I really enjoyed the challenge of painting the whole work with this tool!

Just before I go, let me share a progress photo of the large paintings I am working on. The finished work will not look anything like what you can see here - at least, I think it will change dramatically in the next two or three layers. As I have mentioned before, I like to start my large abstract paintings with Bible verses to "activate the canvas". This makes it less intimidating to start a big work, and gives something on the canvas to react to. It gives shapes and lines and colors that inspire the next steps. On this set of canvases, I started with two passages. One is a life favorite of mine from the Psalms, and one from the New Testament. 

Psalm 62:5-8
My soul, wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
On God my salvation and my glory rest;
The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Portion from Hebrews 13:5-6
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

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