Studio Time

I’ve had three good days in the studio. I usually work on several pieces at a time. That means sometimes a lot of things are coming to resolution all at the same time. That is always a good feeling.

This piece is one that I enjoyed creating. It is on birch panel, 20 inches by 20 inches. It is mixed media; gauche, acrylic, and conté crayon. The number 5 has some personal meaning for me. I am showing you a photo and then scans for detail. When Jeane was here the other day, the one thing we complained about was the difficulty of getting colors just right between digital imagery, the differing computer monitors, and – at least for me – my skill level for adjusting colors to make them most like the original. The color in the close up scans is more true to the actual painting.

Here is a thought for the day, from Ian Roberts – “The quality of your attention influences how you see things. And, what you put your attention on grows stronger in your life…If you want to paint and put your focus on paintings you will unleash a torrent of energy and enthusiasm.”

So true.

Wish Bone Revised

Wish Bone, 20 x 20 inch on birch panel, by Leslie Avon Miller

Today I enjoyed a fun Saturday morning at home with Kurt drinking good coffee, reading your blogs, and then it was off to the studio. I think Wish Bone has come together now. I added a checkerboard which I blended in to the whole, lightened up the value of the “tide of black” at the top, and added final details. I like it. I’ll let it cure, and then if I still like it I will try the cold wax top coat I think. That will give it a very soft sheen, and depth. I like the depth of small details which go on and on in this piece. I had fun as the painting was coming to completion. It felt right somehow.

I am finding I am appreciating the strength of the birch panel. I’ll wean myself off of using paper and just start painting on the gessoed birch. I have several sizes of panel waiting for me in the studio. I might gesso up the three 36 inch by 36 inch panels so I can work larger.

I also have another Bone Painting going now, and nearing completion; called Elephant Graveyard. I like the name for many reasons. It is much more organic than the other bone paintings, as I have gone with the look of many small worlds. I will still be making small collage on paper. It is easy to do in the evenings, and I made some yummy papers as I transferred paint on and off of the Old Bones paintings.

Wish Bone

Wish Bone, by Leslie Avon Miller. All the paintings in the Old Bones series are 20 x 20 x 2 inches, on birch panel. I painted the 2 inch side section black, which makes them stand out nicely. I’ll try to get a photo so you can see. Wish Bone is still in process.
After my last post and receiving so many encouraging comments I have been inspired to continue to work on the Old Bones paintings. At first I wondered if I hadn’t just been complaining right out loud on the internet, which didn’t seem like such a good thing. But then I realized that I really had benefited from stating what had been such a challenge about this particular series. The benefit came from hearing the things you all had to say. And that’s because I am an Extrovert. As such I tend to process information based on having thoughts and feelings reflected back to me. For me, it is the process of communicating about my ideas that creates clarity. That’s how I tend to get to “oh, I see!” I need time to talk about it.
Introverts tend to come to understandings by reflecting inside themselves, thinking things over quietly and then coming to “oh, I see!” They need time to think about it. Then they are ready to talk about it.
I am continually fascinated by people and how we work. So I find this kind of stuff really interesting, and now I tend to think about how our personalities influence our art and the process of making art. If you want to know more here are a few links. This article talks about the differing communication styles of Introverts and Extroverts. This link talks about personality traits, and provides a list of questions you can answer for your self to find out your possible personality type.
Thank you all for communicating with me!




This is Old Bones, in the landscape orientation. I had originally thought the light part would be vertical on the left. I am not so sure now.

The Muse is Happy

Big Rocks is a possible title, by Leslie Avon Miller


Old Bones by Leslie Avon Miller

What a great day this was. I started my day fully focused on creativity. I had a number of phone conversations with artists who I admire and appreciate. I was honored to coach a few artists working in calibration with the artist. The benefits of previous sessions were celebrated, and visions even more expanded. It is truly thrilling to hear about success, and the ease with which it flows when we are working in alignment with our values, or as we sometimes say around here, in alignment with the Big Rocks. It’s like the universe steps out half way to meet us at the place of our dreams.

I feel expanded, open, flowing, enthused, and delighted! It is better than Christmas.
To be witness and co-facilitator for the expansion of creative visions and dreams, happening right now, and coming into to being as we speak, is a tremendous thrill and a gift to me.

So, from that kind of energy I went to the studio, and worked on the Old Bones paintings. I have been adding layers, and making changes to these paintings, trying to bring forth my vision. I am frustrated however, by photography. I am going to have to learn how to use the newer SLR camera. I just can’t get a good enough photo with the little camera.

So I scanned these images. Since the paintings are on birch, and measure 20 inches by 20 inches, they are much too big for the scanner. So what you see here are cropped portions of the work. I wanted to show you the deep texture that I just can’t capture with the small camera. The Big Rocks painting is the one I wrote on with a graphite pencil which I talked about in my Moodle post.

I think I should clarify my last post. I don’t actually have the ways and means to take my work shop (currently in development) to Australia or New Zealand. I am letting the universe know that’s something I would like to do. I could hold onto that idea and never make it happen. So I decided to say it out loud as an intention. It is a great dream, goal, idea, and vision. Now I am making myself accountable to make it happen.