"One must work and dare if one really wants to live."
Vincent Van Gogh
It's Denise's word up. You know i can hang onto Denise's wise words and this post is no exception. What would you dare to do if there was no fear? This word really struck me. Sometimes i take the easy comfortable road. Sometimes i let the fear take over. But is that really living or just surviving? I want to DARE to fly, to take risks, to dig deep and discover new layers, to be the person i want to be and not what something thinks i ought to be, to be colorful, to be dorky, to be loved & give love generously, to be forgiving, to grow as an artist, to thrive.
So all these emotions went into this 12" x 16" wood canvas. Just like me this canvas has many layers. It started out with some vintage london maps, some stencils, and some gesso. I begin painting the layers using acrylics, maya mists, and some light modeling paste.
The colors were almost too bold for me as i wanted the girl & her soon to be dress to stand out. I toned it down with a layer of white and then started adding in gentle layers of colors. I also added in some rub-ons and sketched out the body. I painted it with a light layer of paint while trying to figure out what dress i wanted on her. I knew i wanted it to be daring and fun. I knew the rough colors of the dress but what style said dare to me.
So while i waited to for inspiration to hit, i added a few more layers including those beautiful drips, her hair, and some vintage labels. Then while laying in bed reading a book, i was struck with an idea. So using iSketch, i roughly drew out the dress that was forming in my head.
So the next day i started working on some gelatin prints using my gelli art plates. I used deli paper for my prints and kept making various layers and pieces. I cut the one i like the best up into strips and layered them onto the painted body. From there everything fell into place and she DARED to be the art piece i had in my head.
I have to say i love the boots (my boots) with the dress. it screams me. I love the idea of kites and all they represent. I added in some black & white layers with paints, stamps, and doodles. The kites are made from wire, fabric, and deli paper. I wanted the color to pop a little more in some areas so i used my aquarelle artists crayons. Lastly i added in the words with a black waterproof pen. It was a long but rewarding process of creating this canvas. I am daring to find new depths to me as an artist.
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