"Edge of Red" mixed media tree forest © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Edge of Red, 24x56 inch diptych

I know I just posted this a few days ago, but in this view, the two canvases are reversed, with the 24x36 on the left, and the 24x20 on the right.  I think I like it better this way.

Oh, and I added one more tree - can you find it?

Visit my website, http://carolnelsonfineart.com to view more of my work.

"TOUCH MY HEART" 12008, contemporary modern textured heart valentine © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Touch My Heart

Here's a REALLY textured piece.  I tried very hard to get the shiny copper metal to show in a photo, but had not luck.  As you can see, this one has copper metal, brads, beads, corrugated art paper, and cubes of acrylic medium.

For more information on this painting, click here to go to my website.

"BURNISHED" 12006, acrylic copper geologic abstract © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Burnished

This geologic abstract has a mat that I painted with two shades of copper acrylic.  Since there is copper and gold paint in the painting, I thought it really enhanced the work.

The bevel on the mat was white.  I painted the bevel black and let the paint smudge out on to the mat a bit. It looks very much like the mat is made from copper metal.

For more information about this painting, click here to go to my website.

"HEART ON THE MEND" 12004, mixed media abstract heart © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Heart on the Mend

 

The heart is a metaphor for the human condition.  We describe people as hard hearted, soft hearted, big hearted.  Their heart can be broken, brave, bursting, full, heavy, light, open, locked, and on and on.  

I am seeing Valentine's Day items in the stores, so I thought I would try doing some mixed media approaches to depicting this holiday all about love.  

Valentine's Day is mostly for lovers, but who hasn't had their heart broken at some time?  I actually thought of this composition while listening to Christina Perry's Jar of Hearts - a GREAT song.

This 6x6 heart is on a masonite panel and is textured with crackle paste.  The heart has cracks in it, but has red sateen ribbons holding it together - on the mend I'm thinking.

For more information, click here to go to my website.

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"MIDAS TOUCH" 12003, metallic mixed media geologic abstract © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Midas Touch

 

I love everything about this painting.  If you've been following my work at all, you know how fond I am of this color palette.  It has other things I love too such as metal leaf and texture.

In this extreme close up, you can see the blue and turquoise notes that are not very evident in the above photos.  I just LOVE adding those little complimentary touches toward the end of a painting.

For more information about this painting, click here to go to my website.

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WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENTS:  I have posted several workshops I will be conducting in the coming months on my website.  Take a look at what's coming up - you might find the perfect workshop to jump start your creativity.

"BURIED TREASURE" 12002, mixed media contemporary metallic abstract © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Buried Treasure

This mixed media piece features multiple transparent washes over a copper-painted canvas.  The squares are wood covered with gold metallic origami foil.

The thin wood squares were flat to begin with, but became curved when they were embedded in gesso and acrylic medium.  I actually thought the curves they took on were a plus - another example of a happy accident.

Because of the metallic paints and foil, the light bounces around and gives the painting a warm glow.  It kind of reminds me of a warm fireplace.

For more information, click here to go to my website.

"BOOGIE WOOGIE" 12001, textured geometric abstract © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Boogie Woogie

close up detail

 

I had fun painting this geometric abstract.  I didn't have anything in particular in mind other than I wanted to use some little wood squares as a surface treatment.  I am partial to squares for some unknown reason.  

The surface of the panel is heavily textured.  Once I embedded the squares on to the surface, I covered them with gold metallic origami foil.  They really glow and catch the light.

I was very loose with the pattern layout and did not use a ruler.  I didn't want it to be so precise that it looked machine-made.

When I was trying to think of a suitable title, I was reminded of Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie because of it's busy little squares.  

Mondrian painted this abstract after the Boogie Woogie dance form became famous in the 30's.  I would buy this painting for the name alone - it makes you happy.

For more information on this painting, please click here to go to my website.

"LAVENDER SHALE" 11077, mixed media geologic abstract © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Lavender Shale

Similar in technique to yesterday's post, this one is in a palette I don't use that much.  I love lavender, turquoise and purple, but I don't reach for those colors as much as the earth tones.

This 4x11 inch painting is mounted on a black panel for a clean, contemporary look.  Click here for more information.

"FIRMAMENT" 11084, mixed media contemporary abstract © Carol Nelson Fine Art

"Firmament"

I wonder if you can guess how big this painting is.  To me, it looks big on the screen, but it is actually only 6x6 inches.

This is another example of finding art when you're not looking for it.  Remember the painting I did using a pair of socks for the color palette?

This painting happened on it's own - with a little help from me.  It's another of painting on a foam plate that I used as a palette.
I was not aware, as I used the plate, that a tiny abstract was forming right under my nose.

Before I tossed the used plate, I looked at it and thought, hmmmmm.
I added a few strips of copper foil (which did not photograph well) to give it a little mixed media pizazz.

It's mounted on a 6x6 hardboard panel.  Click here to go to my website for purchase information.

100 PORTRAITS IN 100 DAYS - Gogi, 16/100, © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Day 16

This is just one of the adorable childrens photos I've received. Hopefully I'll be able to get to all of them. Gogi (George) has angelic features AND it is an awesome photo in terms of lighting.
For purchase information, please see my website or email me at carolnelsonfineart@comcast.net.

Every day I'm having more and more fun painting these portraits. Yes, I am STILL collecting photos.

ANCIENT DWELLINGS, 9078, geologic, acrylic, textured abstract

This painting evolved in a tortured fashion. Believe it or not, it started out blue and green. I had to work and rework large passages of this piece. As Picasso said, "I begin with one idea and then it becomes something else."
That's the fun/fascination/frustration of working in abstract style. It took a lot of hair-pulling before this image appeared. The very beginning of this piece was the area that looks like netting with fringes which I created using burlap to create a pattern in the acrylic flexible modeling paste. I've been on a burlap kick lately because I like the less than perfect pattern of squares and rectangles it leaves in the modeling compound.
The colors are a no-brainer because these rich earth tones are my favorite. I love blues and greens also, but, when push comes to shove, the golds, oranges, and browns usually win out.
For purchase information, please see my website.

SHINING THROUGH, 9076, geologic abstract with texture and metallic elements.

This painting was fun from the very beginning. Sometimes I struggle with composition, textures and colors, resulting in multiple revisions, but this one seemed to paint itself. I did a red underpainting beneath the large black area and left it showing through in areas. Other red areas were painted with 3 different shades of red.
The gold was a liquid metal leaf product that was brushed on. Before painting the metallic gold area, I prepared the canvas with flexible modeling compound which covers up the weave of the canvas. You get a smoother look for the metal leaf product that way. For pricing information, please see my website.

Color Quad, 9051, abstract quadtych

The inspiration for this abstract came from viewing the work of another artist by the name of Lois Foley, who is deceased. I saw three examples of her abstract work and was blown away by her use of color. Her style was much less structured than these pieces, but the color inspiration is what mainly impressed me.
The triptych I recently finished, Jigsaw, has some of the same compositional elements as Color Quad, but the muted tones and very limited palette of that painting seemed to set me up for this explosion of color.
I had so much fun painting these, I completed them all in one day - about a 10 hour painting marathon.
For purchase informationm, please see my website.

Tapestry, 9047, mixed media abstract

This painting features several metal elements. Copper, gold and pewter embossing metals were used. There is extensive use of metallic acrylic paints and acrylic modeling compound for texture. Because of the reflective nature of the metal components, photographing this piece proved to be a problem. The colors are somewhere BETWEEN the front view and the side view. Both photos taken with identical lighting, just me moving a few feet to the side for the side view. You can see what a different look the painting has depending on the angle you're viewing it from. It's maddening. For purchase information, please click here for my website.

Crossroads, 9043, mixed media abstract

This painting has stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and copper leaf embedded onto the canvas with acrylic modeling compound. In spite of the abundance of "cold metal" - the aluminum and stainless - it has a warm feeling because of the copper and the bronze and green acrylic metallic paints.

This painting did not evolve quickly. I spent the better part of last week working on it. As usual, there was a point when I was ready to trash it. I have learned not to despair or give up when all seems lost. That large bottom left section was blue at one time. And the vertical copper line was black. It was really cold looking then! In searching for a color that would warm up the blue area, I ended up with this "breen" - a combo of brown and green.

If you look carefully, you can see where I painted over the edges of the metal pieces with burnt umber. Two reasons I did that are (1) it softens a very hard edge a bit, and (2) it's difficult to get the glue and modeling compound completely off the surface of the metals so I cover up the imperfections. Maybe I should call it "Painted Lady."

Will someone call Grand Timber Lodge (where we have a timeshare) in Breckenridge, CO, and tell them this painting would look really good in their reception area? LOL (I wish.)
Please click here for purchase information on my website.

Kung Pao, 9041 acrylic abstract

This is a rework of a piece I did about 6-8 months ago. It's been sitting around my studio glaring at me that long. I never put the finishing varnish on it - that's tells me that, subconsciously, I thought it needed something else.
The top picture is the old version-very muted palette and the main feature I was interested in was the texture contrast between the black micaceous iron oxide near the top and the white squiggle made of clear tar gel.
I took it out of the frame and just started adding color. With the original as an underpainting, there are layers of rich color notes that give it such depth. I just can't stop looking at it now. Of course, it was difficult to photograph with all the layers of metallic color, but this is a fairly accurate version. Do you think this is an improvement?

red-RED, abstract diptych

This is the THIRD reincarnation on these two 12x40 canvases. Abstracts can be SO DIFFICULT at times. There often are a lot of failures before success is achieved. I actually had to carve off some of the medium built up from previous efforts. I think I am finally happy with this effort.

About two years ago, I was in a scrapbooking store where I spotted these pewter alphabet charms. They have been waiting patiently in my studio for the right painting to happen. Since the theme of this painting is red, I used the r,e, and d letters on each side of the diptych. The charms have a lower case letter on one side and a capitol letter on the reverse. I've always liked little squares and these are smashing, don't you think? I embedded them in modeling compound to hold them in place.

I also used aluminum tape and stainless steel in this piece. I found the stainless steel in an art supply store. It is a thin guage that I could cut with a scissors. The aluminum tape is used for ductwork and I found that at Home Depot.

The whole effect of this painting is very sculptural with a clean, contemporary feel. There is a dramatic interplay of slick, shiny surfaces and heavily textured surfaces. I can see this painting in a corporate setting or home with ultra-modern accents.

For purchase information, please click here to see my website.

Glitter Gluch 9036

This is another blue (more teal, actually) abstract. Because there are a lot metallic paints used, it was so difficult to photograph. The little squares are made with acrylic modeling compound that I spread over a grid pattern. After carefully lifting off the grid, I'm left with little cubes of acrylic medium which I let dry a couple days before painting.

On the tops of the cubes I put silver leaf. It was so glittery, I toned the shine down a bit with a glaze of Golden Primary Cyan fluid acrylic. This is the second time I've used Primary Cyan and it is lovely to work with - it's SO transparent - perfect for glazing. Mix it with Quinacridone Magenta fluid acrylic and you get a fantastic range of transparent hues from blue to purple.

For purchase information, please see my website.