Cath Sheard Art

Blog

  • Scaling up

    Working in a Gordon Harris mixed media sketchbook, I completed the evaluation exercise on the 12 small works. It was interesting to step back and consider favourite elements, what surprised me, what problems I experienced.

    Project 2 in the course is 4 large works, using the same techniques; layers of paint, collage and mark making. I’m using the same three paint colours, plus black and white, and the same range of collage materials.

    I’ve done the first few layers and am finding scaling up tricky. I keep using tiny bits of collage, which worked well on the original small paintings, but look fussy at this scale. I know the key is to just keep going, but I’m also going to make a deliberate effort to work bigger.

    Straight after I took the tape off and separated them.
    A close up of the initial layers.
    A few more layers in.
    Another one, at the same general stage.
  • A love of orange

    A love of orange

    Part of the course I’m doing involves looking, really looking, at what you’re creating. What do you love, what sparks joy? Find the things you love and do more of that.

    I’m onto the second part of the course where, instead of working on 12 small paintings, you work on 4 larger ones. I was sitting at my desk contemplating them and there it was … orange.

    I added some more orange to the works, then made a stack of tissue with varying marks ranging from light to dark shades of orange.

    Then my memory clicked in. When I did my Advanced Diploma of Art & Creativity almost 20 years ago we spent a term investigating colour as a material. I chose orange. I remember going to Gordon Harris Art Supplies and the French Art Shop and buying everything orange they had – ink, paint, crayon, pencil, pen, pastel.

    I commented to my tutor, Peter A, that I wasn’t sleeping well. He asked me what orange stood for. Warmth, autumn, sunsets. Yes, but what else? Fire, danger, warning. Peter laughed and said the reason I wasn’t sleeping was because my brain was in constant alert mode.

    Back to the present. I’m excited to have rediscovered my love of orange, and to see what it does for my landscapes.

  • The rush to complete

    I’m loving the Mixed Media & Intuitive Landscape course I’m doing with Marabeth Quin. One of her tools is encouraging students to go back to each piece, over and over – considering , adding marks and layers.

    It’s uncomfortable … I’m on the 6th or 7th pass for each piece. I can feel the pull to finish them and move to the next step. I’m resisting it and staying with her process.

    Why? Because I can see and feel the change. I haven’t done the evaluation exercise yet but I’m sure there’s better contrast and brighter highlights.

    Note: these were done on thin paper, so are buckled, because they’ll be glued into my sketchbook along with all the notes Marabeth encourages us to make.

  • Refilling my art cup

    Every year I do an art course to grow my skills and refill my cup. It’s a nice way to start the year. Last year’s course didn’t work out, because I got overrun with Tony, and never finished it.

    I’ve long admired the work of American artist Marabeth Quin. Recently I found a new YouTuber, Hannah L Harris. She was talking about doing one of Marabeth’s online courses, and it’s one I’d looked at before. Decision made!

    Part of the course involves choosing a colour palette with three colours, plus black and white. Marabeth suggests some colour combinations and I swatched out 6 of them before deciding on one. Doing the swatches made me realise I prefer a palette that includes blue or teal, and provides some light brights.

    The journal I’m using to keep all the information and work in is the new Gordon Harris Mixed Media 220gsm A4 booklet. At $8 for 60 sheets I think they’re excellent value.

  • Stepping back, leaping forward

    I’ve been stepping back into old methods and ways of mark making … no pressure, no sales, nothing but play. I’ve been surprised my work seems increasingly realistic, which isn’t my preferred style. I’ve been prepared to go with it, on the premise it would lead somewhere.

    I keep my workspace relatively clear, except when actually working on something. As a mixed media artist, I feel I’m not doing enough mixing and layering. I decided to leave a bunch of supplies on my desk in the hope I’d reach for different media. My desk’s currently got paint, inks, fluro paint pens, NeoColour I and II, Stabilo Woodies and collage papers. I’ve also got a couple of new journals I’m working in.

    I started a couple of pages last night and I was playing with materials while on a video call to my sister, then a friend. And there it was … bright, semi-abstract, layered. It feels like I’ve gone back to my artistic roots and also leapt forward. I couldn’t be happier!