Friday 19 July 2013

A new series

I have been intently working on a new series of small scale mixed media pieces which I am show casing at the Hayloft Gallery's Coral Anniversary Exhibition. They have been inspired by my pocket sketchbooks that are filled with quick sketches, often no more than hurried gestural marks that have taken no more than a minute. I like the vitality and simplicity of these sketches which sometimes is lost in paintings and have been thinking about how to make a series of work that captures this essence. Whilst thinking about how best to approach the project I decided that I wanted to keep the scale very small like the original sketches but also have a way of making variations from each sketch - a series within the series so to speak.



Variations series    mixed media 6.5x10.5cm   ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec



To begin with I started monoprinting then I worked back into the prints with other media, mostly colour pencil. (I've a hunch that collage may make an appearance as the series progresses.) The textures that the printing ink makes during the monoprint process makes a lovely tooth to work back into. The texture grabs a hold of the pencil in a nice way. As the series progresses I want to be working more on the mark making which is truer to the original sketches but old habits are hard to break ;o) Also because of the unpredictable nature of the printing process it means that I can have very different variations even though the original source (sketch) is the same.

One of the beauties of this way of working is that time has become a very precious commodity for me the last few months so it means that I can keep working through disruptions as they are easy to pick up and put down unlike paintings. (It's difficult to stop a watercolour mid wash or an acrylic where the paints dries too quickly. Especially during this heatwave that we are experiencing in the UK. It has been hot hot HOT!!! - such a change from all the flooding last year.)


8 comments:

Bruce Sherman said...

HI there Lisa!... Very Cool pieces! I love your command of blue in your work.... soothing on these hot dog days of July!

"Simplicity and vitality" are the hallmark of good art in any medium. Your subtle, clean white framing sensibly echoes those previously mentioned and achieved qualities.

Real gems - the entire series! Good luck with sales!~

Good Painting!
Coolest reards,
Bruce

JANE MINTER said...

hi lisa ... all the best ....i esp like the simplicity two on the left hand side of my screen ...beautiful

Lorraine Brown said...

A nice series, simple design, fresh colour saying alot

Theresa Evans said...

These are so lovely and fresh, Lisa and the blues just sing out! I love the irregular edges too.

Kev's Art said...

These just sing of fresh sea air. A great idea!!

Judy said...

A beautiful series, Lisa! Wonderful blues, and they look great together!

RH Carpenter said...

These are looking so fresh and lovely. I'll be watching for more and how you morph into other mediums, additions.

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

Hi Bruce, thank you. I'm in love with aqua blues at the moment. It might be a reaction to the heatwave we have been having - I'm struggling with the heat and long for some coolness.

Thank you Jane.

Hi Lorraine, thank you. You have reassured me sometimes I wonder if I'm getting too minimal :o)

Thank you Theresa, how are you faring in this heat we are having? It's a little cooler today but I have been melting these last couple of weeks.

Thank you Judy. I'm loving the sparrow series you've been doing. They are wonderful.

Hi Rhonda, thank you. Ideas are overflowing at the moment :o)

Hi Kev from Kev's art. I'm not sure why Blogger hasn't added your comment on. Thank you for visiting and commenting though.