Paul North Waters linked elements in this painting to Delacroix’s, Liberty Leading the People:
“Reminds me of the French Revolution! There’s even the French flag (albeit colors reversed) in your painting!”
I consider my painting, “An Act of Independence!”
I Love Delacroix… I think we share strong emotions and freedom of expression. I have been tortured in my approach to this canvas, and surprised to see much gray tonality show up, but it’s balancing the brighter hues.
The composition has gone through so many changes since a dream I had months ago initiated this work. Breathing in angst.
Dream recorded while ‘sleeping’
Vic Vollrath wrote:
“Beautiful piece Nicole! Three words – life, order, chaos. One can see these three words in any order referenced by your painting. One can see order in what might at first appear to be chaos and within that order is life emerging. Or, as order disintegrates into chaos, life is extinguished. The viewpoint is dependent upon the optimism or pessimism of the individual.”
My thanks to both Friends for their interest and response to my work… it’s very much appreciated.
“Digital_paintingThe specific visual characteristics of a digital painting can be traced back to the software. They include transparency, symmetry, distortion, repetition, texture, embossing (creating 3D illusions), mathematically perfect circles, ellipses, squares and other forms, and a flat surface due to the (up to now) technical impossibility to make the brush stroke visible. The option to undo without a trace up to twenty or more brush strokes or other actions, permits a more spontaneous, intuitive way of working than is possible in traditional painting.”
“The choice of program (or specific feature within a program) determines the output to have the characteristics of a watercolor, lino cut, screen print, oil painting etc. Thus, digital painting is not so much a new medium as a new appearance of the whole range of existing mediums, supplemented with some new features.”
“Even before lifting a brush the shape of this canvas excited me emotionally.”
“Untitled” 12″x36″ Acrylic on Canvas
V. Vollrath “Beautiful – like a vortex the eye is pulled into the black almost at the centre.”
Critique Written by: P.N.Waters
“It really is very fine… composition (reminiscent of early Mondrian) — of course. Besides that is the really great and I would say INTUITIVE use of color. The play and spark that is so often (almost always) missing from acrylic is here.
I use the word “intuitive” with care. So much painting these days is just PRETENDING to be “deconstructed” or even “abstract”. Most often it is hieroglyphic — symbols that are recognizable to a particular cogniscienti. In fact, that is the antithesis of “Abstraction”, and to be frank it is no more artistic than, say, printing currency.
THAT is why the signature is the most important aspect of most modern painting these days.
Whether it’s Jeff Koons balloon dogs, William Wegman’s real dogs, Damien Hirst’s multicolored spots, Jim Dine’s multicolored hearts, or Robert Motherwell monochromatic splotches — what we are really looking at is different varieties of money.
Your painting, whether a given person “likes” it or not has character and heart; things that only living things have. In fact, I would go so far to say that almost anyone would say they like this — same way they would “like”, say, Beethoven’s Ninth. Inspiring. No special knowledge or initiation required!
That means it’s Art, with a capital “A”. Money can never claim that, whatever the denomination. No matter what the signature on it that makes it a valuable commodity. A skull by Damien Hirst is just as cold and dead as can be, even if it is made out of diamonds.”
In this image I want to mock, or echo, a different order. As the pieces come apart, they are dismissed, and I digress rapidly into an order that has not been established until now. In the same way I work when I’m making a film, I edit, and delete sequences. Many paintings are “lost” during this technique as the more immediate ones emerge to replace them.
Abstract painting is a way of giving meaning to my inward searches. I’m strongly attached to what I see in nature. Color, form, line, and texture, are elements I paint to pull apart so as to see them differently.
The modern-day suit has evolved from the relaxed ease of the sporting outfit; an outfit made up of a dark jacket and cream or beige breeches. It wasn’t until the 1860’s that European tailors began sewing jackets and trousers in matching material.
The nature of fashion has changed over time… ostentation no longer serves us. It’s currently in a man’s power to do as he pleases. Sobriety (abstaining from excess) and comfort are the cornerstones of modern dressing.
The formality of a suit functions unmistakably when a man wants to be heard or understood.
On occasions when a man wants to add a dimension of expression to the way he dresses, a sports jacket is a good-looking choice to coordinate an outfit and let it speak for him: “I’m relaxed, I don’t have to be formal today.”
Most often sports jackets are textured and sometimes patterned. There are all types of artistic variants now available in the fabric and design, making these jackets appear stylish, but not ‘stuffy’.
My approach to interior living is to treat each area as studio space. Over a period of thirty years I have seen, heard, read, invented, collected, curated and saved hundreds of Design Ideas.
I regularly toss around these flights of fancy. They add zing and expressive meaning to my LifeSTyle and environment. Time spent patterning new designs refreshes my surroundings and charges my inner life.
I’m creating “Chow-Chow Woozy” to post a sampling, from my museum of ideas, and offer my Readers ‘a new way of seeing’.
Decoration:
Setting everyday objects under glass (a bell jar) can render them with a curious importance. ie. A stack of Men’s Shirt Collars, or A Pile of Tiny Colorful Books.
Empty Wooden Spools, from thread, become revitalized by winding lovely Ribbons around them and newly displaying them.
A Teak Coffee Table can be painted white; advancing it from Mid-Century Modern to Minimalism.
A Polished Concrete Floor, with Glass Tile Inserts, emulates a “Mondrian” Painting.
Glossy Design Magazines can be stacked and tied with thick black Straps, or Heavy Rope, to make Occasional Tables. NY Times Newspapers will work well too.
When a Kitchen does not have a window above the sink, glass shelves can stretch across the wall above it, to give an atmosphere of light and reflection.
White floors & Black Doors.
A Heavy Old Dresser, purchased from a Thrift Store, can be raised up on legs to make it suitable as a Kitchen Island. Often I love to see a big Wooden Work Table, instead of an Island, placed in the centre of a busy Kitchen. A table becomes an offering of space ready for: baking, doing homework, potting plants, arranging flowers, preparing a meal, making a watercolor, wrapping gifts… all possible.
Decor:
Newspaper giftwrap wound up with red & gold plaid ribbon.
Gold Foil crumpled around plant pots.
Silver Star Confetti.
Scatter Rose Petals between two layers of Tulle and tie with a Floral patterned Ribbon. Use this as an alternative to disposable paper giftwrap.
Two to three foot Topiary Trees, decorated with twinkling lights and delicate thin ribbon, look festive in all settings.
Old Sheets of Music (from a library) add a vintage touch when framed in Gilt.
Broken pieces of China can be displayed under glass in Frames.
Fragment from my Journal:
A transparent and light-filled glass room as a background… to the heaviest, most Baroque door frames, anchoring a delicate pink marble floor… sigh…
I love the feeling of being open to experimenting with LifeSTyle, by mixing simple (DIY) Do-It-Yourself projects, with more amplified Interior Designs.
“Searching for yourself in Glass”
“Womens’ Death by Water; a common Victorian theme.”
“Rupture”
