A painting makeover!
a painting makeover!
Sometimes a painting needs to change, evolve, and even get a complete makeover! There was this one abstract painting that just didn’t feel really “me”, beautiful in its own way but too serious and not “mixed media enough”. It was time to give it a whole new look and a new story…
Originally, it was already a different project (a painting of a nest) that didn’t work and that I covered up to start over. Then it morphed into a mostly black and white abstract, as I was experimenting with India Ink. Then I realized that if I turned it upside down, it evoked a mysterious forest! So that’s the trail I finally decided to follow, building up new layers and giving it a faux-encaustic finish. I titled it Broceliande, after the magical forest of Arthurian legends and one of my favorite places in Britanny.
But still, something didn’t feel right. You can tell when it’s the only painting you don’t want to include in an art show! And part of me knew that there was more magic there, waiting to unfold.
I have rarely thrown away a painting and that’s probably because I’m both patient (trees need time to grow) and a little stubborn too. I’d rather give it a second, or in this case a third chance. And I’m so happy I did!
the process
I loved the translucency of the painting, especially the lighter top and bottom, so I decided to keep those parts as my background and alter mostly the middle section, working with a horizon line. That’s one of my favorite tricks when an abstract doesn’t work: draw a line! It instantly creates a tension between the two sides, and the way they interact creates a sort of story.
First, I turned the painting upside down (again).
Then I started with a good, thick coat of white gesso on either side of the “horizon”, which I left exposed. It instantly created contrast and brightened the painting.
I softened it by spraying droplets of water: wherever they landed, I lifted off the white with a rag, revealing the underlayers.
Then, to create unity with the existing drips of the background, I added more drips in white with acrylic ink.
I also made some marks and scratches into the still fresh gesso to create interest and texture.
Then I started planning the collage and other elements I wanted to add: a photo for my focal point, some textured fabrics and papers, an alphabet stamp…
Once I had roughly decided where everything would go, I added more white to the bottom part, to help these elements stand out and make it different from the top part.
I started the collage by gluing a strip of polka dots tissue under the horizon. It instantly made the painting feel more whimsical and more me!
Then I added the photo of a sapling, which I took during a creative retreat in the UK. I’ll tell you more about it in a minute!
From there, it was all about “framing” and anchoring this image with more collage and texture: paper, cheesecloth, a frayed bit of canvas and more dots made with modeling paste.
Lastly, I added plenty of finishing touches! This part was spread over several weeks as I let the painting speak to me from time to time: one day I added a little bit of ink, another day some green crayon, then my alphabet stamp, birds in the sky, some journaling… This part of the process is so much fun and you can really work five or ten minutes at a time during a otherwise busy days.
The horizon line and the photo of the little tree really gave the painting its new direction. I took the photo at dawn during a magical and solitary morning walk, at a retreat in England with a beautiful group of creative women. As we were all taking time to nurture our creative dreams, there was such an enchanted, powerful energy in that special place, at that special time.
This is what this little tree represents: the magic of allowing our dreams to grow, of trusting the process, putting down roots, knowing that it will all unfold as it was meant to be.
That’s why I titled the painting:
“From Little Acorns”
Then the birds completed the story: a story of roots and wings. Because to take flight towards our wildest dreams, we need to feel grounded and secure, anchored and supported. And we also need to find like-minded souls who will flock and fly with us, a community of creative dreamers where we feel that we wholeheartedly belong.
That’s the story of this painting and I’d like to dedicate it to YOU, my creative friend, whoever and wherever you are. Trust your dreams and let them grow!
Click below to learn more & reserve it:
What is one creative dream that you hold dear in your heart? What little step could you take right now to help it come to life?
Trust the process and it might unfold sooner than you think!
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