Continuing with textured surfaces

Never get dictated by former plans!

I am absolutely loving this #5 canvas.  The process of construction and deconstruction thrilled me once again!  Can't help but give myself a "like" for the courage I took to deconstruct, just to find that moment of satisfaction - a guide I use to complete a painting made out of imagination.

First deconstruction happened when an overworked surface was totally ruined, no way to be revived.  I had to stretch a new canvas on the stretchers which I specifically ordered from my framer.  I was happier to use my own familiar canvas which has the durability for the mixed media.

Again, I overworked the background by putting in too much paints too carelessly.  It was quicker to give it a shower, but gosh! some gels were rubbed off which freaked me out.  To my surprise though, when it was dried overnight, some amazing marks appeared with the residual paints! 

The "circle flowers" in my mind did not come out quite right.  They were shutting one another out.  And I remembered I wanted a lighter tone for this piece.

Lightened the background, also lightened the middle patch which took on a new look.  Also gave a good wash off the green on the one at the edge under the running tap.  But still the background was not alright.  

I took the risk to construct another textured area to create a visual link, but I felt I was creating a new distance.

Added a new circle to get them closer.  But something wrong with the big circle ...

The painting continues.  

Fewer textured surfaces, fewer "guidlines"!

Another piece of work. Another challenge. Another type of fun in drawing from imagination! This #4 piece took me a long time over the past week to bring in a next step each time I paused and examined. 

Again, my mind fresh in a morning spotted some marks that seemed workable, so I quickly put down the bag and got on with it before the eyes missed them, and before the cleaning lady came in (as if without the mess and drips, nothing would work). 

Just didn't realize looking at this series, I'm actually creating my little "garden" again after "Homescapes" my solo, and I haven't even started my real one at home!

Love the textures & marks so far. Hope the following layers won't spoil them. 

Carefree vs carefully-free!!

Smoothness on textures - continues

The challenge of adopting the "making big' mindset of working from a 6"x6" paper to a 3'x4' canvas continued.  To know, but not exactly knowing what I was making, I simply had to let go.  "Eliza go for it!"  Within half hour of quick layering some paints and gels, the ground work was done.  Adding in the colors gave a first definition of the painting.

... Came back to studio the morning, the WIP I did the night before caught my eyes. It's like a girl waving at me. Bliss!

I had to move fast to transfer the impression I had in mind onto the canvas, or else I would be trapped by the textures!  To opt for a balance in pictorial elements, I had to draw textures on smooth planes and smoothness on textured paints.  I finally overcame the pyschological hurdle that could've dictated the subject - yay!!

Textures to express smoothness. How far can it go?

New work finally takes its very first steps!  A continuation of the previous textured Bubbling series.

Can smooth surfaces be textured?  This thought has stayed in my mind, but the trying out of the idea at the beginning of year in small scales and watercolor led to a whole new page itself - new series, solo show & fun great sale.  No regret though, coming back to this one in bigger scales, the expressions are much enriched in layering and mark making.

New curating experiences!

Oh my!  Some six months' gone! I didn't even realize I haven't blogged here although I have had some very exciting art experiences - I had the privilege of using the space of a private gallery to curate some art shows at total liberty.  Check out my Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/elizachengfineart

The casual fun watercolor series gave birth to my solo exhibition:  Homescapes

An extension to a weekend mini art fair

Joint show with another female artist to show my illustrative series:  Illustrated Memoirs

Curating the show for a watercolorist

Mounting my students works to celebrate my 15 years' art teaching at my own studio

A quickie - indulging once more!

There's so much in my head I want to paint or to record.  Quickest easiest way is watercolor.  It helps me loosen up too, before I really go all the way to experiment.

A quickie - indulging one more time!

2013 new beginning

My day-off on 31.12.12 was fun with watercolor, just meant for fun, but how addicting it was! Since then, the mark-making has been craving for more experiments. Hmm ... a new and exciting beginning :)

Must I make something new for the new year?

Happily dived in Phuket and saw some most beautiful life in the sea. 

Will I continue to make them, or will I make something new? 

I was drawn to the various natural colors.  I was attracted to the fascinating shapes, and movements, and life ...  but I still want to have the same thing happen: spontaneity.

2012 was a very fulfilling year for me as though my voice was heard.  I will have to see what happens next ... with the same dosage of courage if not more.

Go go go ...

Completed on 12.12.12. Really happy to see that it was well received.  "Dive in #4" will be mounted on the sailing boat "Shahtoosh" in Phuket, Thailand.

I'm going to diving in Phuket too!  Gotta go deeper and see what is out there for the next one :)

... fearfully and wonderfully made

Such is the beauty of making abstract art - I plan as much on the picture plane as I can, sort of know what I am doing, but I can never expect the outcome. 

"Dive-in_4" came alive when paints and mediums were cleaned up, revealing a kind of raw and honest colors that coat the textured surface.  Nothing more, nothing less.  It was just perfect for the next step, hopefully a finishing one. 

I showed the client the work at a very early stage.  I knew she was concerned about the light tone, but I believed my eyes so I stubbornly assured her that all was good.  Mid-week I sent her a quick WIP image by phone, but there was no feedback.  Yesterday when she saw this, she smiled. 

Journey ended with thanksgiving

The exhibition fell into the week of Thanksgiving and my birthday. Really delighted to say "Journey" ended on a high note. Individual and groups of friends gave me surprise visits, emails, text messages, information exchange, flowers ... Patrons continued to visit, check my work out, appreciate our show, call to enquire about commissioned paintings. Even passers-by took their time to study my mixed-media pieces (not sure if they were tempted to touch them!) Had a big sale in the last hour on the closing evening, which was indeed a surprise birthday present - my abstract work earned a recognition. Happy Bubbling Away. "Hi-5 God!"

My heart's still overflowing with thanksgiving.

 

"Journey" Opening reception on Nov 12, 2012

It was indeed a remarkable evening.  Many invited turned up and we were all busy from the opening hour till the end.  I was certainly busy at my corner with friends, families and patrons, I had no time to rest. 

A year's work being put together. A very memorable journey for myself.

Really joyful evening, so many guests and visitors turning up which was beyond our expectation.

 

So happy to see many of my art-loving friends, buddies and families who give me unreserved support.

 

 

Meeting old friends, making new ones, sales of artwork, getting a commission work ... non-stop talking about art, but most fulfilling!

 
This gentleman was so interested in the technical details of my art. Love this "artist talk" - absolutely gratifying!

A special buyer, who always remembers me and my art, came up for me, examine my works ... that was super cool!  Wish I could take a photo with him!  May be I'll request it when he comes to collect the painting at the closing.

Eliza's exhibition with Artists Abroad

Artists Abroad 18th Annual Exhibition - "Journey" 2012

In "Journey" - the theme of this Annual Exhibition, my exhibits (mostly sculpted paintings on canvas blocks) are technical experimentation and narrative exploration using various mediums - putting 3D bubbles (an extension of the “Otherworldly” series) into the context of an existing contemporary realism series.

from duty to delight ...

After all preparation is done, it may be a normal path to seek opportunities to exhibit as an independent artist.  Such thinking, if prolonged, can easily lead me to feel that it is a ritual to keep.  But today, a new revelation came upon me in my quiet sitting at a corner of the gallery.  I was just well pleased to see my works in such context, being shown to the public.  I was at ease, ready to listen to comments, spoken or unspoken, from even visitors I don't know. 

I am ready to move on, to face more challenges - to play and experiment the unknown, to wait for my heart to tell me what next, and to guide my hands to bring about the ideas into presence.  I will not paint for the sake of painting.  Painting simply cannot stop.  I know a new collection will have to be birthed.  Making art and exhibiting are no longer dutiful, but a delight.

... explaining to Ivy about this painting "Joy".  Joy, unlike "happiness", does not depend on what happens.  Joy is stable.  It fills up the deep well of confidence from within.  In times of trials, even seemingly dark, hope and light is ever-present.  Like keeping a balance in tonal distribution on a picture plane, it is important we keep a balance in life too, be joyful knowing we have once overcome, and never let any dark hours push us back.  When breakthrough comes, brilliance simply leaps forth at staccato speed to tell of a triumphant moment. 

Solo Exhibition: 3 Sep - 20 Oct 2012

Some shots at the exhibition gallery.

Solo Exhibition at SR Gallery 2012

Anxiety ceased as my solo exhibition has started, finally! I'm showing 43 pieces/series of art altogether. It will run for 7 weeks. Sep 3 - Oct 20. Please visit and view my work, write to me too. It was great to meet some lovely friends there yesterday, and I made a new friend who is very resourceful :) Simply makes me smile all the more!

Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo New York

Really worth driving a few hours up to visit Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo New York to view some beautiful original works of master painters and contemporary artists.

Now that I have seen with my very eyes Clyfford Still's huge body of works (his pieces of art have to be viewed as a collection I was informed), and Frank Stella's real paints, am I content with the facts about abstracts - its presence, worth and influence, and continue to passionately develop my own abstract art?  #noturningback

Happily Bubbling Away - solo show

"Happily Bubbling Away" my solo show - 27 pieces/series covering two major bodies of work will be shown at SR Gallery at 3/F Cubus, the chic area in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, for the whole month of September 2012. Will post details when ready. Stay tuned :)

Community Project - mural paintings

It's a lapse of few months from January this year that our community project at Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital was finally completed.  It ended in a high note with a meaningful opening ceremony of the Radiology Center in which the Hospital has revamped the facilities to offer advanced services to the public.  We artists at Artists Abroad were greatly honored.

A few of our designs were chosen; a small party to meet up with the Hospital people behind this project.

A quick start on the mural painting in the first X-ray room.  I just loved the free painting and art jamming!  It only took us a few days to complete.

Second X-ray room, with a totally different painting style - masking and sponging, then drawings of birds and bugs.  Also a quick work, but the finishing was not as easy as expected.

After almost two months, the renovation of this reception area was finally ready for painting.  It was precision wall painting, which wasn't quite my thing, plus I had an accident of having a nail go right into my foot through my flip-flop ... bleeding ... bleeding ... but our other artists efficiently brought the work to completion also within a few days.

Big day of celebration, great opening ceremony in which various speeches informed me how much the public, the very needy children, would benefit from these new facilities.  Even our mural paintings are a source of comfort and motivation to them.  We all felt very honored to be able to be a part of their project and mission.