This year I have really given myself to visual art. I always promised myself that in my 50’s I would do some art and learn as much as I want to about art techniques. I’ve done a lot of canvases with acrylic paints and found mixed media bits like a disassembled printer and offcuts from the local fabric store. My favourite ones are abstract mechanical pieces on square canvases.
My art area is in the corner of our little lounge room. We plan to pull up the carpet soon, so I don’t have to worry if I get some little splashes of colour on it. My space is small, but that forces me to cull the crap, the bits and colours I don’t use soon after I acquire them. Some things I don’t get rid of, even though I haven’t used them. These are mostly found, small metal objects. I love to collect lids and the pull bits off cans of drink.
I’ve made some great discoveries. Like ordinary cotton string can be coloured easily and used so many different ways because it can make any shape I want. Also, sticky fibre mesh rolls from the paint section of the hardware shop. Those things are great to colour or to use, either as a stamp or as a texture layer.
My walls are getting a bit crowded with canvases. This is okay except that I am trying so many different styles and techniques, it looks like a crazy random bad art gallery. I think once I find my style, my preferred style, I might paint over the randoms. Redo them, use them to make my real kind of art.
This month, and next month, I’m doing #ICAD2015 and having fun with index cards. Limiting myself to index card sized art is fun and challenging. Two months, 61 days, of mini art. So far I have used my favourite colours. Next month I’m going to step outside my comfort zone and see what I can produce. This might mean some imitation of other artists, especially some of the big names. Unless I chicken out and go back to the safety of my preferences. I’m 50 and yeah, I’ll do whatever I damn well want.