Cath Sheard Art

Tag: paint

  • What do you see in this photo?

    Do you see a slightly grubby desk? Paints in cut down old cartons? Nothing much? I see two things – opportunity and happiness.

    Opportunity because the paints are sitting on my desk so I can make use of any spare minutes, without going in search of supplies. Opportunity because every time I pick up a bottle of paint I have the opportunity to create something new. Opportunity because paints give me freedom to express myself.

    Happiness because painting relaxes me. Happiness because those paints sitting right on my home-office desk means that my family and I both accept my need to create. Happiness because I can afford to buy paints (I work fulltime, and know jobs are a scarce resource for some). Happiness because I did not always paint, and am so grateful I found my love of creating.

    So what makes you happy? What opportunities face you each day?By the way, when I get a new bottle of G0lden Fluid acrylic, I open it up and smear some of the color on the lid, That way I can easily find the color I want, without ratting through all the bottles.

  • Graffiti it – NZ Art Guild challenge

    The current NZ Art Guild Challenge is graffiti. Given the recent awful graffiti on my work place I was keen to try this one, and make it more about art, less about vandalism.

    Title: Cath was here, 2009

    Size: 21x30cm on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper

    Medium: Background – acrylic, inks, rubber stamps, stencils, pastel. ‘Cath was here, 2009’ added digitally.

    Inspiration: I have had the start of the background sitting round for two years, knowing one day I would use it. I have added another couple of layers to it today, then scanned and added ‘Cath was here’ in Photoshop.

    grafitti 001

  • Old house – latest Art Guild challenge

    You might remember that a few posts back I showed you the reference photo for the latest NZ Art Guild Challenge. At the time, I was sure it was the colours that would inspire me – and I was right. I tackled the subject twice today; once in acrylics and once with ink, oil pastels, soft pastels and acrylics. Neither are an accurate representation of the image and in one I have moved windows, resized some parts, generally messed with it a bit. In the second I was thinkng mainly about colour blocks, the Impressionists, ghosts (don’t ask!) and light.

    For me the NZ Art Guild challenges are a great opportunity to tackle a subject, style or material/s I might not normally go for; a chance to have a creative play with no real pressure. So here are my two most recent entries:

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  • WIP – interested in snow

    I have to finish four works to send off to Auckland mid to late September, for a busy hairdressing salon. There have been quite a few avalanches here in new Zealand recently, sadly some of them have been fatal. This got me thinking about snow, avalanches, global warming, glaciers – fascinated, I have been doing some reading, looking at images, talking to people about snow etc. I have made a start on all four canvas at once. I want them to end up pale, with hints of mauves and blues under lots of layers of white – like shadows on snow or objects buried under fresh snowfall.

    Here are the first few layers done. One of the photos has come out far too bright, and all seen to have a weird green tinge in places, but the general idea is there. More layers coming soon….

  • Happiness is: new paints

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    I found Golden Fluid Acrylics at 30% off the other day at Tanjis. So I ordered a few – some are new colours to try, others are spares of long-time favourites. Happiness is: a wee box of paints, sitting on my desk tempting me. The first thing I do when I get new paint in a bottle is smear some of the colour on the lid. It’s easier to find what I want, and seeing the colours lifts my spirits.

    Oh, and for the record, here are the colours I bought: Turquoise (phthalo), Green Gold, Phthalo Green (yellow shade), Paynes Gray, Cobalt Teal, Cobalt Blue, Dioxazine Purple, Anthraquinone Blue, Nickel Azo Yellow, Iridescent Fine Gold, Napthol Red medium, Quinacridone Red, 2 of Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and 2 of Quinacridone Burnt Orange.