These days the 100 day project is coming to an end. The 31st ofJanuary was the starting day of the 100 day project– an international digital and free project inviting people around the world to take part in 100 days of creativity. The aim was to choose a personal creative project and dedicate each day a little span of time – something between 10 and 30 minutes – to this project. It was recommended to share the results with the internet community.
At the time when I learned about the project in January I was feeling very low and very uninspired. Probably I was exhausted from a very demanding year with all it’s threats and uncertainties caused by the pandemic and by quite some exhibitions I was taking part in or did organize myself. So my studio was deserted and nothing would motivate me to go in. I was hesitating to take part in this project – would I stand a project that took 100 days? Thats a very long time, more than three months! I decided to go for it, to be generous with myself and be content with what ever would come out of it. What did I have to loose?
“Can you think of a better time for a reset, a better time to turn our collective attention away from doom scrolling and to something inherently positive, life and soul affirming?”
This was the sentence that convinced me in the end! Nevertheless: very unexpectedly the project was a huge win for me! I am back in my studio with new ideas, plans and motivation! What more could I wish for?
As I said, I was generous with myself. I chose a project that was simple, feasible and I was sure, would give me pleasure. Color is my passion. The hashtag I chose for my project is #100daysofcolourcardsandmore. ( Meanwhile I learned that they are called color swatches :-)) Under this hashtag you find a lot of my results.
Opening up for new experience and learning was so rewarding.
I recently saw, that the question “How to start an abstract painting” got new interest. So I decided to add to this post a video about the process of starting a new large painting. Just watch how the first layers grow. If you want to see the finished painting, you will find it on Instagram here.
An artist friend asked me the other day: How do you start an abstract painting? I didn’t give her an answer yet. Now here is a series of photos that may tell a part of the story. But it is the story of these particular works. It may be quite different with other paintings I do or how others artists design their process. There are so many ways to start a new painting. Not all ways are invented by now.
How do I start an abstract painting?
When I was starting my painters journey about 20 years ago – after some very few lessons in working figurative – I was so lucky to visit a painting workshop by an Austrian artist. Her name was Fria Elften-Frenken. She lived in a beautiful kind of farmhouse on the Neusiedler Lake. She had studied in the academy of fine arts, Vienna and was well known. One of her remembered sentences was: “It took years to forget about what I learned and to start doing my own art.” Consequently she would provide us with materials but not with lessons and ideas. She was always ready to consult when we were stuck. But we had to find our own way.
Some insights into the development of “Thinking of Saint Tropez”
Trust into yourself -its all about you!
I am lucky that I had this kind of start. That was what I was looking for in art. It is this kind of freedom. It allows you to do what you want. In a way, there is no right and wrong. If it is appreciated by others is a second questions. Art is a lot about expressing yourself. Of course there are many of things to be learned. About ways you can take, materials you can use and thousand other things. But what you do, how you get there and what result comes out of it, that is your own art.
How to cope with the „angst of the white canvas“
At the beginning another sentence was in my head about something artists experience: “the angst of the white canvas”. I don’t know where I had heard it and why it stuck in my head. But influenced the steps I took.
Read on how I handled that „Angst“ and watch the beginning of a large painting
The other day a friend visited me to have a talk and some demonstrations for painting. My friend loves art and wants to give it a try for herself. She has seen a lot and has a taste for art. But she has nearly no experience with using a brush. One of her questions was: How do you start a new panting? Actually a good question and a difficult answer.
How to jump on a white canvas?
Starting a new painting is always somehow exiting – at least for me. I never know where this journey will lead me to – and seldom I make plans which I then will not follow. In the end my start is always fed by the impulse of the moment. The most I have in mind is a color direction. Maybe there is even a theme deep back in my more unconscious brain.
Good news! Three – inbetween four (!) – paintings will go to a new home – as soon as the post offices open up again! It’s not a week yet that I sent out my newsletter about my participation in this wonderful initiative! (Want to know more about Artist Support Pledge? Click here!)
My Costa del Arte Collective colleague Annabel Keatley and I, who participate in the initiative of the Artist Support Pledge have event got the attention of the local press! The article is announced for next Friday! Its wonderful that we got so much attention through the internet! Especially as all art shows in Spain are canceled. We had planned and prepared for an exposition in Fuengirola “Sun and Shade” which should have started 20th of April. Of course is not going to happen. Hopefully we can open it in autumn.
We are still in a very strickt lockdown which was just prolonged till 10th of May. I sincerely had hoped for the permission to do some sport for an hour or so outside. But that seems not to be in the new decisions. My rescuer will be the trampoline – finally the new elastic bands arrived! Its a urgent contrast to standing and sitting work at the computer or the easel. So the trampoline is the only possibility to simulate running at the moment!
With the extended confinement I will have more of this special time to contemplate the view from my window – which I often do as it is beautiful – but I never used is as a source of inspiration for my paintings. The stand-still inspired me to do two exercises: a literal-stand still in my place and concentrating on what is in front of me AND to do the opposite of a stand still for my mind: move to do new things. This very special time gives a lot of chances to think about life.
Here they are, the paintings of the series “From my window”. The middle one is one of my rather realistic paintings and features the view. I love the bold colours in the flowers and in the “Building houses”. I am aiming to capture more the spirit of a situation than the real view of it. The flowers are out bursting in the planter of the balcony with the most incredible red and greens. The tropical garden holds a bit of a dreamy landscape (and is sold already to one of my newsletter subscribers). Enjoy!
New paintings
Spring flowers on my balcony 200 €
Lost in Time 200 €
View from my window – 170 €
They are building houses in my garden 200 €
SOLD – My Mediterranean garden
Spring uprising 200 €
Still available
Red energy 200 €
Still pink times 200 €
where there is darkness there is light – 170 €
Keep up your good spirit 170 €
Flowers for Saint Patricks day 170 €
So much in my head 170 €
With a little tear in my eye but with a happy heart I will say “Good by” to these three as they have found very nice new homes:
SOLD Spring outbursting
SOLD Lost in time
SOLD From my window at a blue day
They were the favourite obviously – they would have found other houses as well. This is the wonderful and the sad thing about most art works: they are unique. So if you buy an original painting your are sure to have an unique piece of art in your home or office.
If you like art + puzzles…..here you have a great choice!
More than 8 puzzles easy, medium and rather difficult ones are waiting for you! Each of it an art work from me! You don’t need a huge table, just your computer!
Click onto the painting or the caption to get there!
Dear Art Lover
I am real excited! I bought a beautiful artwork made by my fellow artist Annabel Keatley. You can see it a bit further below!
I have had the wish and plan to install in our apartment a gallery wall of small paintings by my artist friends for quite a while. But THIS was the final push to act:
The Artist Support Pledge
The Artist Support Pledge is an initiative started by Matthew Burrows, a painter based in London. It gives artists the opportunity to support other artists, and at the same time make some income in a time when we need alternative ways of showing our work. The idea is that the artist offers for sale works under € 200, by posting them on their social media platforms (Instagram) and tagging them with hashtag #artistsupportpledge. When the artists have made € 1,000 due to sales, she or he pledges to buy another artists work for the total of 200 Euro.
Based on trust, generosity and community spirit this initiative is bringing artists together and is also a great way for art lovers to find new artists and buy affordable art.
I couldn’t wait for selling enough because this was an opportunity!!! I have been in love with Annabels paintings for so long. The watercolor captures a view of Cabo de Gata by Annabel Keatley. See more of her work on her website and Instagram account. In the following I am presenting my first available works, so as to give you first option before my posts go live.
I sent out a newsletter two days ago and today I started to post my available works on my social media accounts. Already three are waiting to be shipped to their new home! You find me on Instagram here: oppellandhampelart and here on my Facebook account. If you don’t have one of these accounts you can follow my Post News on my website www.artgoppellandhampel.com by subscribing at the bottom of this page.
All paintings are offered unframed. Due to the post office being closed here in Spain, I will ship as soon as its possible. Shipping is not included in the price.
If you would like to buy a painting please get in touch and I will mark that painting sold when l put it up on my Social Media feed.
This is my first choice for the Artist Support Pledge Initiative
I choose works on paper. Most of them have been created during the lockdown.
“So much in my head” 170 €
“Flowers for Saint Patricks day” 170 €
“Keep up your good spirit” 170 €
“Where there is darkness there is light” – 170 €
Each of these paintings is ca. 41 x 30 cm , mixed media on paper and sells for 170 Euro.
SOLD “Spring outbursting” 200 €
“Red energy” 200 €
“Still pink times” 200 €
SOLD “From my window at a blue day”
Each painting is ca. 50×32 cm, acrylic or mixed media on paper and sells for 200 Euro. If you wish so I send the painting with a white mat (passpartout) that can fit a standard frame. They will be signed in the front.
Last not least: Two paintings on stretched canvas!
SOLD “Lost in time” 200 €
“Find your way!” 200 €
More interesting art news here:
I have been writing in my Blog News about my private initiative to reward with one of my “Desert Trip Prints” those who donate more than 100 Euro to a welfare organisation in their community! I already had the pleasure to be rewarded with an artwork of my artist friend Anne Bedrick of whom I copied this idea. Read all details about the rules here: Do something for your community and be rewarded with art!
Here is something to spend your time joyfully (hopefully not stressed!) with art: Why you might be failing some paintings ……because they are puzzles! This is a link to two digital puzzles ( a simple one and a complicated one) that will reward you in the end with the completion of one of my art works! Have fun!!
You find more puzzles of my art work on this puzzle page if you look for my name. This is my latest puzzle and painting: From my window: Plants are blooming again!
A happy and peaceful Easter and best health for all of you! Take care!
Click onto the painting or caption to reach the puzzle!
Do something for your community and be rewarded with art! Receive a “Desert Trip Print” in your mail box*. In real. A proper 25×32 cm Fine Art Print from my works. I start this initiative to support people who support the community through donation.
What is it all about?
This is another wonderful initiative worth to be copied.
For each donation over 100 € that you do to a foodbank or food service or animal shelter I will reward you with one of my 6 prints from my “Desert Trip Print Series”, a Fine Art Giclee print with signature of the artist.
Great thanks to my fellow artist Anne Bedrick in Palm Springs, California who inspired me with her initiative!
Anne and I in her Palm Springs Studio October 2019
What’s your part?
Sent me a copy of your donation receipt to a food bank or service or an animal shelter and inscribe to my blog – thats it. I will donate one of these prints to you! First come first! Very simple. The timing though depends on the regulations here in Spain. We don’t know, when we are allowed to go out again – we are to stay at home till end of April. And we are in a very strict Log-down. Just going out for food, medicine, doctor. Maybe following will be special instructions for the “endangered species” which we are a part off.
*Free shipping in the European Union.
Here is your puzzle of the day….maybe one day in your mailbox?
This is one of the Desert Prints which I offer – start to get familiar with it! Get to know each little piece! Click onto the painting or the caption!
If you are love the feeling of being part of a community, part of a team, part of a group that shares same values or goals, how do you maintain it in this special times of physical distance? I want to introduce you to newly developed ideas that got me excited and of which I want to be part off.
It is great to see how much creativity is burstig out in face of the complete interruption of our daily routines!
I found in Instagram an idea that I am going to share and will share with you! Its an Artist support Artist Initiative! I don’t remember that I ever have seen this! What’s the idea behind it?
In short: Artist offer artwork for not higher than 200 € in Instagram and Facebook. When they have gained 1000 € they will by an artwork from a fellow artist in this initiative. So this would be a 20% donation. I will post paintings in this or under this range and decided to buy an artwork from a fellow artist, when I have earned 500 €. So keep your fingers crossed that my action will bring success! You can help, of course if you ever have been thinking to become a collector!
View from my window at a blue day 200 €
Going wild 170 €
Artist Support Pledge
So far this two paintings on paper have been released on Instagram and Facebook
I will be offering more soon. These are my candidates:
Keep up your good spirit
View from my window
Flowers for Saint Patricks day
And here is your job for today!
Be careful, my husband is already hooked on puzzleing!
Click onto the painting! This is not an easy one! My husband got already hooked on it!
See this email in the browser. Double click on the blue sentence.
How about enhancing your skills while being at home?
Its a while since my last post, so I just wanted to reach out to you and say HELLO! Hopefully I can add some ideas for your stay at home.
We are all in a never expected extreme situation since my last post. Most of you experience the situation of having very or completely restricted access to social contacts and manage life under very different circumstances.
In Spain we are in complete house arrest which was just extended to 12th of April and it is not very unlikely that the lock down may be extended even longer. We can only leave our house for buying food or medicine, going to the doctor or working (when permitted) Even the communal gardens are off limits. It’s the first time I wish I had a dog! Then I could go for a short walk with the dog – though just for the absolutely necessary!
View from my window
May be I can help a bit to make the best of your time?
If you aren’t busy in entertaining children staying at home ( which will keep you very busy) but with grown up family or all alone, wouldn’t it be a chance to have all that time at hand to try something new?
If you are with younger children, maybe this will be fun?
Probably you have by now found a lot of ideas in the internet how to entertain your children during long days at home. What I want to share this with you a real pieces of art, designed by my fellow artist Lieuwke Loth! I will make available kids colourings. During the Art Walk Cómpeta which was organized by Lieuwke Loth, these colourings were given to the school children of the village of Cómpeta. Maybe you would like to colour one too? I tell you, it is meditative! If you are interested, I will make them available through my next newsletter so that you can print them out and maybe the whole family has fun!
Don’t receive my newsletter yet? Join the list at the end of this post!
And for you ? How about learning something new?
From friends I hear they cleared out their wardrobe, painted the apartment, cleaned the kitchen in depth, took perfect care for their garden and more. They are creating a splendid home to stay in.
I choose to focus on the pleasant things of life and boost my immun system.
I decided to experiment with painting – do things, I normally don’t do. I work on paper, I try new styles, I copy other artists, I experiment – aim to have great fun and no achievements.
I sleep long
Read and play
try some new recipes
and use intensely internet and social media to connect with like minded people
I am learning lots of things….
What really excited me in the last years are fantastic internet workshops. I would love to share my experiences with you!
I discovered the huge and fascinating world of knowledge for artists in the internet. Its literary at your finger tips and at home! There are so many inspirational classes – inspiration is key for artists! Of course it needs some effort to find the right ones that are worth your money or time! I visited art workshops in person and I enjoyed the direct contact with teacher and other students. But as we are travelling a lot, it was always difficult to find the right workshop at the right time. Do you know this problem? The internet offers the solution! So now I am hooked on internet courses.
Maybe I can help you with your choice?
There are offered many workshops for free just now ( and of course a lot you have to pay for). You will find ongoing programs that focus on the art, the art business or on one aspect of the art making. I have participated in real inspiring workshops that lasted three weeks or three months. I am really touched and excited about the community of artist I met in this kind of forum and about the immense support I have received from the teachers and the other students. Its real huge.
In my next newsletter I will tell you more about a series of free art workshops of a very experienced fellow artist of mine who is a painter and a printer. She will teach about oil and cold wax in her next presentation, but there is more to come. Stay tuned!
Take your time to evaluate what to do next with the help of a friend
You will as well find information about an art marketing class which I am attending. I really cherish this course and it has taught me a lot. They are just about to release a new 10 weeks program that will help artists reaching the online market. I will send out the newsletter this coming week – looking forward to meeting you there!
Processing…
Wellcome, you are on my list!
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Lost in Time
If you are interested in one of the art works just email me!
If you want to see some about my daily art, follow me on Facebook and Instagram !
We have the motto “Stay home – flatten the curve”, we have the time of “Social distance” , time of shut down of useful and/or entertaining events in the outside world. I am very happy the Spanish government took a hard decision and I do hope that it was taken in time and will succeed saving many lives!!!
News from an artist in a closed down country
Here in Spain, where my husband and I spend the winter time, its a very severe close down. To leave the house is only allowed for: shopping food and medicine, medical appointments, going to work or other urgent and to be proofed matters. Allowed only one person in the car, only one person going out with the dog. Not allowed to use the fitness room in the urbanisation. We have high fines when not respecting the rules and there is quite some police outside to check. So it is a very serious “Stay at home”. After our first not yet fulfilled two weeks, we got prolonged house arrest; Stay at home till 12th of April.
How is your situation? How do you make the best of your of your time in the house?
If you aren’t busy in entertaining children, that have to stay home ( which will keep you very busy) but with grown up family or all alone, wouldn’t it be a chance to have all that time at hand to try something new? There is so much new to do in the house!!!! Internet courses can be something new: The internet is a great resource for so many things. You can learn practically everything when you go to You Tube. You can make photo books, which you always had in mind, you can visit the metropolitan opera (who offers everyday one opera for free to watch in the internet!), you can start reading all the books you didn’t read, join a library online, visit a museum (most of the known museums now offer virtual walks through their exhibition) you can clean out the house or finishing to knit all the pieces you started ( I think I have 4 waiting for me :-). Its also a great time for cooking and baking and much much more. From friends in Italy and here in Spain I hear they cleared out their wardrobe, painted the apartemente, cleaned the kitchen in depth, took perfect care for their garden and more.
Art could teach you something !!!
I focus more on the pleasant side of this time:
I made a list……what is your list? Clearing out the wardrobe or doing a daily yoga practice were on my list, but I concentrate on other things in the moment. I want to go for the most attractive things I always wanted to do but didn’t find the time to do.
I am taking this “Time out” as an opportunity to change the speed of living and working, to sleep and play a lot. For me its a great opportunity to “walk slowly”. Can you share your list with us? My list for the “Stay home and flatten the curve” time is:
I decided to experiment with painting – do things, I normally don’t do. I work on paper, I try new styles, I experiment, I copy artists I like and want to learn from – to have great fun and not head for achievements.
I sleep long
I booked an online Spanish grammar workshop
I take a lot of time for social media without feeling wasting my time
I try new recipes – I love to eat but never really take the time to cook with attention
and with my fellow artists from Costa del Arte Collective I think about new ways to present our planned exhibition “Sun and Shade / Sol y Sombra” which is planned for April and we are not at all sure that it may happen …27.03.2020 Now we know: it will not happen in April!!! We postponed it to October. If you want to be informed, let me know!
I am quite happy at the moment, but….
I enjoy to have time, nearly no duties and the opportunity to (re) discover my own rhythm there is an interesting BUT in self discovery: my own little devil. Most enjoyable, I am getting lazier and lazier….I can feel the stress that I was having in the last months slowly falling off. Becoming lazy for me is a good sign – at least I know it is.
Can you stand the feeling of being lazy, not achieving something? Let me tell you, it is a healthy sign. And you see, I am an achievement – addict. That’s why I thought of a method of painting that would give me a different and not achievement oriented go. We are only on day 4, so we will see how it goes….
My fellow artist from Costa del Arte Collective, Sally Hirst, who is not only a painter and printmaker and leader of many workshops, is also a great explorer of art materials.
Here I share her exploration of hand made brushes. When you go to her website you will find a lot more of interesting insights in her „Modus operandi“ for her art. Worth to have a look!
Sally Hirsts Review of Elizabeth Schowachert’s brushes for Cold Wax Medium
As a painter using oil and cold wax medium I am always in the search for tools that create interesting marks and textures. It is important to me to …
And keep in mind: Valentines Day is arriving sooner as thought!
Here you find a limited Fine Art printing edition that is inspired by my journeys to rather exotic places. “The Desert Trip Prints”. I am really excites about this project as it is the first time ever I work with prints. I am happy to be able to offer my artwork for an affordable price for those who love it. The print series is now released and available from the 25th of January to till the 8th of February 2020!
And here a first view of the prints…May be you are looking for a lovely Valentines Day gift? These prints are unique and very special! There are only 10 of its kind in the world actually only 8 of two of the paintings !
11 prints on Fine Art Paper Rag – choose one or two or more
If you are interested to be one of the first to get notice and have the advantage of first glance and first choice for a very special price you can join my newsletter here. I Normally my newsletter will be English, but sometimes I write them in German and Spanish too.
I would be happy to welcome you on my Newsletter list. You receive- about once a month – news about expositions I am participating in and see my latest works. I share time by time visits to fellow artists studios, expositions I love and impressions of museums I have visited. You will be the first to get information about special offers and who has a view behind the curtain. Join my list here below, put in your email in the next field.
Welcome! Thanks for joining! I am looking forward to be in contact with you!
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
“The Desert Trip Prints” special offer for newsletter subscribers will end 20th of January- the release date for “the world outside this community” is Saturday, 25th of January!
Valentines Day is not far ahead….
If you want to see a bit of what inspired me, brows through my desert photos here!
At moments I provide a special time restricted offer. You will find it here on this page. The first to know about this offer are my email subscribers. They will get first notice and first choice.
I work on a limited Fine Art printing edition that is inspired by my journeys to rather exotic places: “The Desert Trip Prints”. I am really excites about this project as it is the first time ever I work with prints. I am happy to be able to offer my artwork for an affordable price for those who love it. The print series will be released 17th January 2020 with a special offer for my email subscribers and later in the month, on the 25th of January , it will be announced on social media.
And here a first view of the prints…May be you are looking for a lovely Valentines Day gift? These prints are unique and very special! There are only 10 of its kind in the world!
Eleven beautiful prints on 300 gram paper rag!
If you are interested to be one of the first to get notice and have the advantage of first glance and first choice for a very special price you can join my newsletter here. I Normally my newsletter will be English, but sometimes I write them in German and Spanish too.
I would be happy to welcome you on my Newsletter list. You receive- about once a month – news about expositions I am participating in and see my latest works. I share time by time visits to fellow artists studios, expositions I love and impressions of museums I have visited. You will be the first to get information about special offers and who has a view behind the curtain. Join my list here below, put in your email in the next field.
Welcome! Thanks for joining! I am looking forward to be in contact with you!
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
“The Desert Trip Prints” special offer for newsletter subscribers will end 20th of January- the release date for “the world outside this community” is Saturday, 25th of January!
I am very much attracted to deserts. For me driving or walking in these untouched and so surprising landscape is always stunning, sometimes frightening, always touching. My deepest amazement is to be in such an inhospitable and in part intoxicatingly beautiful landscape in which its for any creature an incredible art to survive.
An artist journey
Here I share some impressions from our journey to Death Valley and the surrounding desert AND at the bottom of this page some news of my artist journey!!!!!
The photos cannot reflect the real impression but may be give an idea about what can be experienced in the desert. (All photos made with my iPhone camera) and the paintings hopefully reflect my personal experience of the desert! Enjoy!
Desert Roads – Roads to no where?
Tap on the picture to enlarge...
Amazing Colors and Landscape in Death Valley and surrounding
Click on the photo to enlarge
Death Valley
Weather – Sandstorm in the desert
When we headed towards Death Valley we had to pass near areas of Los Angles which had terrible fires and a lot of smoke. The view of the landscape was partly blurred and we didn’t know if this was smoke, fog or a sandstorm. It was a sandstorm which offered most amazing and beautiful views and transformed the landscape from second to second.
Tap on picture to enlarge
Abandoned houses in Californian desert
Many tried to make a living in the desert, following the gold or other hopes.
Click on the picture to enlarge.
at the railway
Indian Canyon
abandoned truck
old post office
at the railway
Indian Canyon
The “Desert Trip Prints”
Our stay in the desert was deeply impressive and I started to create a series of digital paintings. So I am walking on a new and quite exciting artist paths. As soon as I feel my Desert Trip Series is competed I will publish it and offer prints. I have never before offered prints, so finding the right format and paper and especially an experienced Fine Art Printer was a journey in itself. But now I am happy with the one I finally found – the first prints look beautiful!!! I assume I will be able to release this edition, which will be a limited edition about mid of January.
Painting #11 Death Valleys Colors
Painting #4 “The abandoned house”
“The little pink house” Greenland prints
Last year I painted a series inspired by our journey to Greenland. As some of the original acrylic paintings are already gone, I decided to release at the same date as well a limited edition of the “The little pink house” Greenland prints so they are available to an affordable price for those who love them. See the development of the original Greenland paintings here. If you want to be one of the first to get to see the full edition and first special offer, join my newsletter here. Have a little preview here:
2019GL Red house
2018GL05 Pink house in the habour
“The little pink house” Greenland prints
And one of my other adventures:
I re-work my website! Please let me know if you find things difficult or better…
Lately I started with a lot of experiments – time by time an artist needs some freshness in her/his head and new inspiration. Finding new ways, collect new experience, has to question and expand her/his style. See some of the experiments here.
I give me a rather hard time, as I try to prepare for quite some traveling lying ahead of us. To stay tuned in my painting praxis I decided to take a sketchbook. I am not a great friend of sketchbooks and do not really a praxis. I like big formats and acrylic paint – that is quite a dirty job and asks for a lot of material. My trial with water color nhttps://artgoppellandhampel.com/?p=3384&preview=trueever gave me any satisfaction. So now I try how works Gouache. Quite fine, I can say after my first trials.
I love the old farmhouses in Andalusia, with all there add-ons and partly deconstructions they seem to tell a story of live. So I was fascinated by this one near Tarifa. The dog I fall in love with on my walk at the Open Studios Gaucín. You will find a photo of her there. If you are interested in this art walk, read more here.
Old farmhouse on canvas
sketchbook 1
sketchbook 2
sketchbook 3
sketchbook 4 – on paper
My passion in painting is color. I could say: my painting is all about color. So now I went on a diet. A strong challenge to brake familiar habits. The sweet Lana, the dog above, belongs to this series.
Some of the paintings are on wooden board. It gives a lot of possibilities to be mal treated. You can cut it, scratch it, work with hard tools on it. It invites all kind of spatulas. Some of this treatments a canvas would not be so happy with. Other experiments are on paper DIN A 4. Somehow a much smoother process.
Beautiful dog, Acrylic, on wooden panel, 30x30cm
home sweet home – on on wooden panel, 30×30 cm
In my wonderful park – 30×30 cm on board
No title 2 on paper
no title 3 – on paper
sketchbook 4 – on paper
Normally I love to work with rather bold and vibrant colours. So the challenge lies in tamed colours. This ones are not quite tamed, the motto was more: Go wild….
Black and red
Black and blue
Black and yellow
This are my experiments with a very reduce color palette. A lot of interesting new experiences through diet! Sometimes I feel very hungry for my familiar food 🙂 Wonder what comes next.
20×20 cm on canvas
21×29 cm on paper
Next comes an exhibition in Marbella in which I and the members of Costa del Arte Collective will be taking part. More than 90 artists will show there work in the Avendida del Mar – that’s in the center down to the sea. Opening the 20th of June at 19:30 to 23:00 till 23rd of June, open from 16:30 to 23:00 hours.
Very much hoping to see you there!
If you are at the Costa del Sol, don’t miss it! Get more information here: www.festiarte.art
The new year is knocking at the door! Time to get ready with some really good decisions for a better life next year! I posted this already last year. I would like to share again as it is still true! Let me know what you think? Anything I missed, that could come from an artist?
9 ideas for a better life from an artist
1) In the new year, take care of yourself! Start your working day with art. Inhale beauty and creativity! „Art washes away from the soul the dust of every day’s life“, says Pablo Picasso. He surely knew ! Try for yourself! Be attentive with yourself!
“The Waterfall” behind a desk
Want to see more paintings for your office? Click here
2) This years resolution: no single use plastic bags. SHOP (with) ART!!!
🐠🐬🦈🐋 🐬🐠🐟🐋🦈🐳🐬🐳🐠🐡🦑🐳🐊🦈🐟🐋
🇪🇸 Resolución de este año: no hay bolsas de plástico de un solo uso. COMPRAR (con) ARTE !!!
🐠🐬🦈🐋 🐬🐠🐟🐋🦈🐳🐬🐳🐠🐡🦑🐳🐊🦈🐟🐋
Tote bag grey blue white
3 )New Years resolution for a happier live: take care of yourself! Rest! Make life light and joyful! Breath beauty! Enjoy small moments. Relax with art! 🌹🙃😊🎈 If you want to see how art inspires a room TAP HERE!
Spring fully blooming (140×100 cm)
4) New Year’s resolution for a happier life: take better care of your health. Sleep longer. Sleep better. Make your sleeping room a place of peace and well-being. Avoid distractions. Choose calming colours. Sleep well with art. (Dreaming about Greenland, 160×140 cm) If you love to see more relaxing art home sceneries tap here!
Dream about Greenland in the sleeping room.
5) New Years resolution for a happier life: walk outside of the house with open eyes! With patience and affectionate attention look at plants and animals and their art of just being themselves. Import some of this beauty into your life.
Watch birds and natue
(“Birds by day and night” 55×30 cm) If you like to see more small nature paintings tap here: “Small worlds”
6) Advice for a good life from an artist: Connect more with animals: talk to them, pet them, respect them – do not eat them ….(easily said by a vegetarian 😊)….
The cow
7) Let go! Try something new. Try to leave old habits or things, don’t stick too much to the familiar because of insecurity about what may come. Dare to fail! Questions the expectations you hold for yourself. Make room for change! Be surprised!
8) New Years resolution for a happier life: Travel to an unknown spot, near or far. Read books about foreign countries, see new things, go to museums …Get new inspiration!
9) Be creative. Paint, bake, make sculptures, write a poem or a diary or invent new recipes, DANCE! Try colours. Being creative will make you happier. There is scientific evidence for that! Read about the benefits here!
