Thursday, March 25, 2010

Paper Bag. Graphite on Paper. © Liz Darling  2010.
Back to observation. Graphite on Paper.
© Liz Darling 2010.

This is my first experience using Conté crayons. I haven’t decided yet whether the waxiness is a good thing or a bad thing. I have a tendency to approach everything (drawings especially) very tediously, perhaps too much so for Conté. The blending is awkward also. Using white over black produces a dull, milky gray, but black seems to do alright over white as long as it glides over without blending. The consistency of this medium is a lot like oil pastels, and suddenly I have an urge to experiment with them again.
Definitely a learning experience.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Beginning. Conté on Plastic Paper. © Liz Darling 2010.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Lemacado. Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling 2009.

This painting was sort of a response to my painting professor’s commentary that my work was too focused on conceptualization over formalism. Lemon and avocado in hand, I sat down and painted this without first creating some elaborate conceptual goal in mind. Not that this painting addresses specific formal issues in the work either, but at least I was able to distance myself from over-analyzing the idea before I even created the piece. Occasionally I have a tendency to get so caught up in trying to express a certain point that my concern over the formal qualities goes by the wayside.
Anyway, I ended up pleased with the result and found that even while “painting on autopilot”, my work tends to follow in the same general direction. The lemon combined with the round pit of the avocado abstractly echos a human form, especially that of a pregnant woman. There seem to be repeating themes in my work that resurface again and again - intentionally or not.