contemporary collage paintings
the process
Leslie Avon Miller

My life flows when I'm in my art.


Jean De Muzio

Monday, June 22, 2009

Collage papers, birch panels and painting larger. It is all good.





** This is a repost of my post from June 18th. Blogger had a brief issue with uploaded photos, and mine were among them. I don’t know any other way to fix this. Unfortunately, I will loose all your kind comments, and my responses. But I wanted the pictures to be on the post.***
Art time has been preciously rare. This is a quick post today. If you read this blog on a more or less regular basis, you know my husband had foot surgery a month ago. Life has not been the same since. But yesterday he went back to work, and things are going well. On my side bar are photos of him gluing up a 36 inch by 36 inch birch panel. You can just see his cast/boot in one of the photos. This weekend I hope to get photos of the final steps he takes when finishing these panels. Mary asked how much the panels weigh. The 36 inch by 36 inch panels are 9 pounds. They are very easy to move about, and hang on the wall while I work standing up. I’ll post more about the whole process soon.
When I have been in the studio I have been working on these 36 inch square panels. I just love working large. Finally there is enough room for gesture, and expanse. In the process of creating my paintings, I also create collage papers. I use a variety of paper to put paint on and take paint off of the panels. These images are of some of the papers recently created. I think they are intriguing, and I can visualize them as an artist book perhaps.
I think my work on the panels is looking more encaustic like all the time. I am isolating layers with gloss acrylic medium. That is really adding depth. Then at the end I use a varnish or medium that is not glossy. I don’t like all that reflection, and I don’t think it suits the mood of my work. I am seriously toying with the idea of trying encaustic, although I wish I could use my tried and trusted acrylics with the wax.
During this time when my studio time has been limited, I have been out and about on the internet, discovering new and interesting blogs. I have added several to my side bar – encaustic artists and photographers. There is stunning work out there!

16 comments:

  1. these pieces are very beautiful Leslie. The colour and the texture is very appealing.
    ian

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  2. I'm still have difficulty in making a comment...my connection cuts off on your site and a few others. First, the larger work is wonderful...love the number aspect in the new work!The importance of certain numbers...mine is the number 8. Following the photos of creating the birch panels has been very interesting. Yes, It is all good!!

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  3. OK, Leslie, I'll forgive you!

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  4. I love all your new work and your blog looks great. - Karen

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  5. I can't find your email address on your blog!
    You've won the saints bracelet from stylemed.blogspot.com. email me with your shipping address.

    Best wishes

    Tim

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  6. uh oh! technical difficulties! lucky us - a rerun!

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  7. Nice to see your husbands work along with your own. Hope his first day back at work goes well!

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  8. I love the low key subtlety of your cool-hued paintings
    painting is so wonderful
    and thrilling too

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  9. Hi Leslie, Your new larger work looks fabulous and like you're really enjoying the bigger space to stretch out in. Good for you and for your live-in carpenter!

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  10. So glad of the re-run as I missed your post the first time round! I absolutely love your papers and enjoyed seeing you work with them in Jeane's video. Fascinating process and very inspirational. Just wish I could touch them!

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  11. and looks a bit like birch bark in color and texture.

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  12. your pieces are so inspiring to me!

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  13. leslie.....just watched the video clip on jeanne's site of you working with the tissue in your studio, the two of you having such fun ... so i came back to your site and took some notes about layering/sanding/acrylic mediums etc....you are soooo helpful. loved seeing you work, reading about your process. it will help. EVENTUALLY, i will be posting some things i actually DO. and...maybe i'll be slinging a big board on top of the washer/dryer if need be!!

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  14. yes, these really have a feel of a birch tree to me too... the white and black and soft browns... wonderful texture too... Roxanne

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  15. I must have a go at a more subdued palette. These have a Japanese feel about them. I used to use tissue paper a lot in my paintings.

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  16. Thanks Leslie for another great read...not to mention the lovely view :) Great piece, I say that allot here don't I :)
    The book sounds interesting...
    So does the link to Art Calendar...
    I need all the help I can get on the "business" side of things. I once talked someone out of buying a piece of my art!!! It's true. I just couldn't let it go for money...hopeless, I know!!!

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