Drawing the foundation

“Sometimes I think there is nothing so delightful as drawing.”

— Vincent van Gogh

I've finished the drawings (step one) for my next series of small paintings. With a simple HB pencil I'm sketching a story on canvas… I love this part of the process. 

It's as if I'm a conduit bringing the vision from my mind's eye, through my arm, into my hand, and out through the pencil onto canvas. Drawing helps me really connect to what I'm creating in a tangible way.

The drawing is the artist's signature... Each line and shape expresses the essence of the vision and is unique to each artist. This is why I draw freehand... no grids, no tracing... I allow my hand to interpret what my mind sees.

It's also very therapeutic. When I'm drawing I'm in a meditative state… I’m "in the zone" where time disappears, worries fade away... Nothing else really matters than this moment. 

And in a practical sense, drawing is the foundation of the painting where I map it all out. If the painting were a person, the drawing would be the bones. This is step one in my painting process.

In the next step I'll begin painting in tones of grey and defining the shapes (this would be the muscles of the person!) and slowly begin to bring the painting and vision to life...

“…and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?”

— Vincent van Gogh

Hope for the flowers - part one

I've been painting away in my studio… but soon it’s time to put my brushes down…

In a couple of weeks I'm heading off to Iceland to stay at an artist residency for one month. I'll be staying on a small island in the north of Iceland for the month of June (and then a two week driving tour of the West Fjords!) …

I’ll be exploring the beautiful northern landscape for some new inspiration to create (and it won’t be trees!).

So now it’s time to put my paints away and prepare for an all new adventure…

Hope For The Flowers - work in progress

Stay tuned to hear more from the land of fire and ice!

Hope For The Flowers - detail

Painting Lilies and the Creative Process

From Ethereal to Real; The Seven Steps of the Creative Process

Dream ~ Connect to your true heart's desire.

Imagine ~ Imagine the details.

Decide ~ Make a commitment.

Design ~ Make a plan.

Align ~ Align with your dream.

Receive ~ Receive insights.

Express ~ Live your dream.

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When I create a painting it’s just like creating anything in life. It begins with a vision; an idea...

I imagine the details... The size of the canvas, the colours and feeling sense I want to create…

And then I decide.

I buy my materials and take action to begin...

I start with a drawing on canvas, mapping it out and creating a structure for the painting.

As I begin to draw and paint I get to know my painting… Aligning with my vision.

There comes a point when I no longer ‘think’ about what I am creating and it becomes an intuitive process. The painting paints itself.

It becomes its own unique expression.

“The goal of art was the vital expression of self.”

— Alfred Stieglitz

The final step in the creative process is the expression.

What was once a vision in your mind’s eye is now visible in your life. What was once a dream is now real.

You can download the 7 Steps from Ethereal to Real, part one from the Little Book of Big Dreams here.

Laying Down the Foundation - Water Lilies

I've been wanting to paint water lilies for a long time. One of my favourite spots is a peaceful little pond in the woods covered by lily pads and blossoming flowers. I've taken so many pictures of this beautiful and tranquil spot, and so finally I'm making it into a painting...

As always, I first draw the image onto the canvas. This is my map where I work out the details. Then I do a quick tonal study in grey tones... This is the underpainting and provides the foundation for the layers of colour to come. At this stage of the painting, the shapes, lines and tones are creating the mood and personality of the painting. With each stage of the painting, the process becomes more and more intuitive, until I feel as if the painting is almost painting itself...

Thinking From The End

When I begin a painting, I've already created it in my mind. The painting is complete and hanging on my wall. 

This is what imagination is. It's tapping into the universal mind, or spirit, and visualising what already exists in essence, and then bringing it into the physical plane. 

It's easy to understand this when you think of making dinner. You first think of what you want to eat. Perhaps you picture the entire meal laid out beautifully on the table, with candles and wine... you imagine if you are sharing the meal with someone... you imagine what it looks like on the table and on the plates; the smell of the food, the taste...

All of this happens in a flash when you think, "What should I make for dinner?"

Once you know what you want to create, you get out your recipe book, head off to the store for the ingredients, and then you make dinner. Within a few hours you are enjoying your creation!

It's the same when I paint. I create an image in my mind, perhaps as an idea that I want to express...

I'll picture the size and shape of the canvas, the colours, shapes and images that will express this idea and feeling that I want to create on canvas.

I keep the finished painting in mind, but of course, there are little surprises along the way... I let go of the outcome and allow it to unfold and come to life as it is meant to.

Like giving birth - when the baby is born there is joy and surprise, yet you also feel that you knew this person all along.... everything is exactly as it is meant to be.

Right now I have a few paintings in mind. They are there, just hanging in my mind, until I'm ready to give birth. This is the joy of creating; having a vision and then experiencing the coming into being...

Enchanted, 60" x 36", SOLD

Hope for the flowers...

Flowers as Muse

I’m in love with colour and all things beautiful...

And a flower represents the very essence of beauty.

Flowers lift my spirit and make my heart sing!

A flower has its own unique character and personality,

(This is what I paint).

And there's a story in each painting.

With colour and shape the characters are created on canvas,

Then the painting takes on a life of its own...

I'm starting a new little flower painting. Here's a video of the very beginning... Mapping out the details:

Off to Hawaii!

Everything that is created begins as a seed of an idea.

One painting began as a pretty photo I took from a spring garden. Looking closely at the garden was like peeking into a tropical jungle… The vibrant and lush paradise of a tiny garden world of dancing flowers and hidden creatures swimming in greens and blues…  Each flower appeared to be dancing… And so I called this painting Three Graces.

And just like all gardens, many more seeds were planted… The cycle of creativity continues.

This week my newly designed Three Graces dress is off to the lush and tropical land of Hawaii...

 

Watch the creation of Three Graces:

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The Three Graces Dress is off to Hawaii!

Visit the Boutique

What colour is your February?

Ever since I can remember, I’ve associated letters, numbers and words with colours. For example, the letter “A” is red (and so is the name Anne). Sometimes the word is coloured by the first letter, but not always. For example “F” is a dark green, but February is a light blue. I thought this was “normal” and that everyone’s words were colours. Until I was a little older and began asking others what colours their letters or words were…

I’d say, “What colour is your February?” And they’d look at me blankly.

A few years ago I discovered from a friend and fellow artist that it’s actually a “neurological condition” called synesthesia (which means “union of the senses”). Synesthesia can involve any of the senses but the most common is “seeing” letters and numbers as colours. This is called Grapheme-Colour Synesthesia. I also have Spatial Sequence Synesthesia (experiencing time, numbers and dates as if it's a on a giant clock outside of my body). The hypothesis is that in synesthetes, there is a cross-wiring in the brain so that neurons and synapses that are supposed to be contained in one sensory system, cross over to another system.

Apparently synesthesia is more common among artists. I know three other synesthetes and all are artists. I’m sure I know more, it’s just not something normally discussed (unless you are an artist!).

I’ve always loved playing with colour. As an artist it’s a big part of my expression. Perhaps synesthesia is like having another sense… a 6th sense… I can’t imagine not having this "condition". And it certainly adds to my world of colour…

I’d love to know… Are you a synesthete? What colour is your February?

Painting the Tree ~ Stage One

I made a little video showing the first stage of my painting process.

Each painting begins with a free-hand drawing on canvas. With pencil to canvas I get to know my painting... The lines and character of the painting are now beginning to take shape. Once the drawing is complete I do an underpainting in grey as a tonal study...