Cath Sheard Art

Blog

  • Latest NZ Art Guild challenge

    I love the NZ Art Guild challenges and I really appreciate the time the guild puts into running them. Recently they have changed the way the challenges run, and this is the first one under the new guidelines. The quick version is; they provided a photo reference as a starting point and guild members are free to interpret it any way they choose.

    The original photo is of a huge city building, all glass, with amazing reflections. I was interested in how unwelcoming the main building appeared; the door seemed small compared with the building itself, and in the photo is almost out of view. It reminded me that, in much the same way, many of us protect our hearts…hence the doors, lock and single, incomplete, key.

    This is 23x30cm, mixed media. Digitally altered photo, collage, rubber stamping, ink.

    where is the key

    One of the reasons I tackled the challenge this way, instead of painting the building, is that I wanted to “make it my own”. Over at the Crusades, Michelle has been blogging about making our art our own. Michelle talks about taking something and adding your own twist – making the artist’s hand visible. I hope that is what I have achieved with this piece. Thanks, as always, for the challenge and the inspiration Michelle.

  • Still stitching

    details 001kA few weeks back now, I grabbed some fabric, foam stamps and acrylic paint and got to work. My objective was to colour the fabric to give me the broad tones of Patea Beach and the sea wall, using alphabet stamps. Once that had dried I started stitching. And stitching. And stitching.

    What I discovered pretty quickly was – 1. stitching is slow. 2. I tend to do tiny stitches. 3. I am not very patient (okay, really I knew that already).

    I realised I needed to know more about stitching, and so have been reading Stitch Magic. Unfortunately the fabric I used is too tight a weave for me to use wool to stitch with, but I am learning to stitch looser and bigger. I’m also trying to be more patient; enjoying the process instead of rushing for the result.

    I have included some detail shots, but it’s fair to say I found it quite difficult to get a decent scan of the stitching.

    This is such a change of pace for me; normally I paint, and quite quickly. I love the process of painting, the speed of it, flinging the paint at the canvas to get background drips, sloshing the paint on the canvas, the floor, my feet… so I am not sure where this “slow stitching” is leading me, but I’m happy to meander along for now.

  • And even more pears

    I’ve done quite a few pear paintings now, mostly with this drippy splashy sort of background. I really like the colours in this, but I am not sure about the pear itself. Will live with it for a bit longer and see what I think. What do you think? blue pear 1

  • Playing with light

    One of the things I love about the view out over the Tasman Sea from our kitchen window is the constantly changing light. Sometimes when I’m thinking about starting a new work, I drag an old one into Photoshop and play round with the colours, cropping and the light.

    This started as a square work, in lightest blue and deep purples, capturing the sea just before sunset one night. I’ve been messing round in Photoshop tonight – not thinking realism, just thinking light and colour. What do YOU think?

    calm-over-tasman-crop-21

    calm-over-tasman-crop-31

  • Painting returns home for a brief stay

    summer-floodsWell, I thought this painting was on display periodically at a local gallery. Umm, no – it was stored in a carton upstairs above the gallery. I guess I should have kept a closer eye on things – won’t make that mistake again. So now it is home for a short time, then off to Auckland for a big art sale that’s coming up.

    This was done, from memory, about 18 months ago in response to some summer floods. It was incredibly hot, hence the hot colours, and there was water just everywhere. Such an odd combination weather-wise for here, and one that made me head for my paints.