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Posts tagged ‘abstract’

Dec 31

Endings and Beginnings

15460 Repeatedly acryl fabr on canv 24x24 sm

Repeatedly, acrylic and fabric on canvas, 24×24

And so ends 2015, a tough year with losing elder family members, illnesses, and generally a sense of starts and stops, of undecidedness (is that a word?) Ever the optimist I look forward to 2016 with a renewed sense of hope for peace in the world, good health for all, and the ability to work on my art to create with the gifts God gave me. Blessings to you all for a Happy New Year.

The artwork above is a defining piece created late 2015 that combines my ideas of using recycled material, weaving together family and friends, finding the abstract imagery that speaks to my soul, and boldly going where I have never gone before. I know I know. It’s Star Trek not Star Wars. Cheers to 2016. 

Aug 20

Delicately Powerful

Our local florist shop, Apotheca Tea Shoppe and Flowers in Goffstown, New Hampshire, allowed me to browse and spend an afternoon sketching and photographing (actually taking snapshots) of their beautiful displays of flowers. Quite a colorful afternoon it was. I was developing a new series paintings using flowers, florists, gardeners as my inspirations.

gerber redspeonies In following with my decidedly unconventional approach to design and color, I was looking to work with the color, forms, patterns and textures in an uncommon way. A way that would have viewers say, hmmm, I’ve never seen that before. I was doing as much thinking as photographing and sketching during this process. I don’t begin a process like this with preconceived notions of what I am going to do with the information. What fun would that be? Of course I realize plenty of artists pre-think and I find myself overthinking frequently. But this time I tried NOT to solve the puzzle ahead of time.

I am a bit demanding of my muse–whenever she shows up–I want to have plenty of input for her to work with. A couple of the florists at the shop wound up being part of my inquiry as well although not my intention of using them in this work. But I never know. Even the worst photo can offer the best idea for a painting. 

The photos shown above are great as a reference for shapes, colors, flower angles, reflections and refractions of stems through glass. Not perfect lighting conditions for copying exactly what is shown but more than enough information for me to use to incorporate into a fresh design.

sketches20150306_125047     20150306_151725

The concept of design is first and foremost in my mind when I approach new work. I enjoy the quick process of sketching possibilities for a larger piece. I feel at during this stage I am efficiently running  through ideas before I ‘waste’ time working large on a weakly designed idea. Again my background in graphic design and advertising concepts fit seamlessly into my process.

The final artwork shown below was inspired by this process along with twenty others for a recent show titled, ‘Sunstrokes’. Less detail, sketchy in its application of paint. Not looking labored over. Fresh. Direct. Friendly.

Can’t wait to get back to the studio.

(‘Redheads’, 12×12, acrylic on panel, available at Sullivan Framing, Bedford, NH.)

15407 Redheads acryl fabr canv 12x12 sm

Apr 9

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Hidden by the Summer

P1080832The change of seasons in New England covers and uncovers a wealth of beauty. This photo is an excellent example of what is not seen during a spectacular summer day. Thick layers of trees with branches full of fluttering leaves, yellow and blue greens of every tint and tone, neutral grays of tree barks are woven together blocking the distant view of the purple-blue mountains. Early spring reveals the complexity of woods and beauty of the cooler colors of moisture-laden air of the mountain air. You’ll notice this motif in many of my recent paintings.  www.anntrainordomingue.com

Mar 17

Listening to All That Jazz

comparison Mar 2015 smThis post is a recent lesson in listening–no, not to jazz music, but to the sounds of my own improvised thoughts. Hearing what the painting is trying to tell me as I add my part to the conversation–lines, color, shapes, forms, textures. Instead of a straightforward journey this one turned into a ride down a windy country road. Finishing up at a quiet place. Click on the image below to read the details of just how this journey evolved.  And please feel free to share this post or go to my website to see new works.  www.anntrainordomingue.com

Feb 27

Inspired by the Wetland

Wetland Dunbarton Compare 3

How many options are there with a photo reference such as this? So many I still haven’t exhausted the possibilities and I have done at least 12 paintings of all sizes to try to capture the essence of this scene. So much to work with. So much to leave out. The trick is which is which. And that is the most fun and challenging. Some landscape images thrill me, others do not. I use my sketchbook to work on figuring this out. Lots and lots of pages. Each one getting closer to what my sensibilities say is right. Yours, and any artist’s will be different. Isn’t that great? Visit my website to see more www.anntrainordomingue.com or email me at domingue@comcast.net to receive my newsletter.

Feb 25

Painting About More Than Reflections

Reflections at Work story

It seems to be endlessly interesting for art viewers to learn the story behind a painting. And to tell you the truth I like to dig in and find out this information too when I am gallery hopping. I like to make the link from inspiration to interpretation and put myself in an artist’s shoes/sandals/barefeet and see what they saw, feel what they felt, and hear the little thing that became so powerful it had to become an artwork. It’s these translations that are as varied as there are artists in the world. So enjoy the view and let me know your thoughts on my visual story above. Find me and click the “Like” button to follow me on Facebook at www.Facebook/anntrainordomingueart or www.anntrainordomingue.com

Feb 22

Coexist: Plein Air and Studio Air

June post 2013

We artists have so many options open to us as we design a new piece of art. This one is less real and more abstract or is it more real and less abstract. Let me explain. I love working with the landscape–New England, Caribbean and beyond– and that does not always mean working directly in front of it–plein air–as it is commonly known. I enjoy the process of interpreting the things that have inspired me and reworking into artworks that speak the language of the landscape but also let my personal interpretations in as well. I appreciate the time and efforts–and suffering–many of my painter friends put in for the sake of their art. For me I do plein air for other reasons, not to produce a final piece of art but to learn from the landscape of that day–to practice mixing colors, to see subtle tones, to work despite less than ideal conditions, to sketch quickly my impressions, to get out of the studio and get some fresh air–and perspective. My personal art process uses both the plein air experience and the studio experience to create art unique to me. If anything, I admit I am a fairweather plein air painter.

For purchase and/or more information please visit www.anntrainordomingue.com orwww.facebook.com/anntrainordomingueart for regular updates. Thanks in advance for sharing my work.

Feb 21

Hazy, Hot and Humid Art

July comparison 2013

Who would have thought a stroll after a nice dinner at the Lobster Pot would have captivated my artistic eye for so long. A quick snapshot taken one hot afternoon in Provincetown, MA has been the catalyst of many of my recent artworks. As with many other photos I have taken, as soon as one painting is completed I have another idea to improve/change/renovate the next one. On this one, with the advice of Mary Harding curator of the George Marshall Store Gallery in York, Maine, to “paint bigger” here is the results. Raking Light Across at 36×36 gave me the space and opportunity to really dig in and work on the layering of color and texture. It was a blast. More to come.

Feb 21

Thankful for Second Chances

Nov comparison 2013

(Note: I am bringing over some posts from an earlier blog I was writing–Interpreting Sight. These posts focus on the how-to of some of my artworks as well as showing my sketches and inspirations for new works.)

Here is one good reason why I like working with acrylic paints–they are forgiving. Especially when one idea seemed like a good one until a night’s sleep refocused my aesthetic and I wonder just who thought that color combo was a good idea. I am thankful that I get a second chance–with every single piece of artwork I do. I am never afraid to scrub out, gesso over, tear up, use for collage, cut up for use as mini paintings, or plain just get rid of bad painting. Sounds crazy to some of you but if you are an artist, I recommend you give this a try. You never know what you’ll find the second time around.

Jan 29

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Schooner Backlit

Schooner Backlit sm2
Schooner Backlit is an 8×10 study based on sketches I completed while on a whale watch boat in Provincetown Harbor, Cape Cod, MA. The whale boat was positioned so several artists could get a close up look at a schooner race from Gloucester, MA to Provincetown in September 2014. I loved seeing the beautiful curves of the sails, and subtle and various whites as they they glided by. Lucky for us the wind was light so we had a good amount of time to stare and record what interested us. Not sure I will go larger with this one but I enjoyed using more subtle colors than I might usually select.

This post is day 29, part of the 30 paintings/30 days challenge presented by Leslie Saeta on her blog,http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com I didn’t post all 30 but I have done many new small works as a result of this challenge.

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