At The Root - Orange Beets 9 X 12 Colored Pencil On Ampersand Pastelboard SOLD
My "At The Root Series" is officially that with the addition of the second piece, see my blog entry from my last piece created in 2013. (At The Root - Radishes) here The background colors of this new addition are more true in this image than in the radish piece photo in the above noted link/blog entry. So imagine the radish piece with more yellow in the background. I must get the radishes rephotographed so they represent the series as more cohesive in color, which of course they are.
Which brings me to sharing my thoughts on a series. I find it difficult to work on more than 2 in a series without interjecting a new subject matter (or non series painting). Why you ask???? My old job was as a production painter for a local Richmond print company that sells hand colored - watercolor prints. I did this for 8 years. And is the reason why I do not paint for myself in watercolor any longer, or for that matter work in large series. Burn out yes, but also working in a series stifles me a little. So I need to take breaks and do another subjects in between.
I like to think about how a series might hang when I work on them. This piece faces to the left and the radish one faces to the right. Keeping the direction you want the viewers eye to go in makes both pieces hang well together. Of course they also should hang well when hung separately too, which I believe these do. Color integration and cohesiveness is also something to keep in mind so they play well with their series siblings. Even though they are of different colored veggies they have the same greens in common, the same background and surfaces are similar. All things to keep in mind when working in series besides the obvious subject matter. Framing in like frames also is a must, I believe.
Timing for blog entries has been very short lately, due to the rather large Art Exhibit/Fundraiser for World Pediatrics Project I am helping to co-host. Getting much else done by the way of art completion has taken a back burner these last few months. But rest assured we are in the 2 week stretch before the event so the end is in sight, and before you know it I'll be back to the blog with more entries. I thank all of my readers for your patience and returning to my blog to check in.
Oh, and yes there will be more At The Root paintings, imagination has me thinking of all sorts of new subject, so stay tuned.
Waiting on a colorful spring to arrive and roots to grow flowers,
Gloria
