Don't Call me Dolly

Completed! I am actually super pumped about this painting - it's a lot different than most of my recent work, and it's fun to try a new vein with some success. I'm still working on what exactly I'm trying to get at conceptually, but it seems to still be sticking to the biologically psychological thread I seem to tread. I'll paint it out.

PS: don't forget to actually click on the image if you want a better view of the detail.

Don't Call Me Dolly - a slop of a fish painting

Hahahhhaaaaaaaaaaa...

I was having some fun and getting a little messy and exploring how to paint a fish. I think it's pretty interesting actually, although maybe a little immaturely rendered. It's been a while since I have tried to paint something figurative, which reminds me that I need more fish photos. My bros have sent me some good ones, but it's hard to get pictures of them live in action! Especially up close enough to get some decent detail. Nevertheless, alls well that ends well, and I had enough fun to justify painting this, if only for that reason. It's also a nice kick in the pants telling me to make sure I have a figure to reference! Tsk tsk.

It also reminded me that figurative painting is not that hard (albeit not exactly second nature for the goop-loving me). I think it's a nice vein to be exploring for a little while.

Welp. This is where I've left off. I am going to try to draw a decent salmon. I mostly just wanted to document that this painting did look pretty decent at one point. Haha... aaah. I have no faith in my salmon drawing skillz. I haven't really been able to find a decent image of a salmon from the perspective I was hoping to approach it, so I am feeling less than golden. I will be super irritated if the damn thing starts looking like a koi.

Yes, it IS time to start drawing it, Rachelle. There's nothing else you can do until this is done.

Bully painting.

New painting. So there.

Umm... started a new painting. Not sure where it's going. It's making me nervous. I can't tell if it looks like river rocks, fish scales, or leopard print. I guess all these things make me happy, but... I can't help but feel like I'm at a bit of a standoff. Lots of staring and sighing at this point. Productive, I know!

My idea is to do a salmon painting (if you guessed rocks of some sort, you would be correct!), and even a live salmon! Maybe fish heads too, but... mostly just it's being alive. It is also supposed to touch on animal guidance and our hyper emotional, hardly perceptive attention of surroundings and connections, and failure to balance spiritual understanding to the objective. It is also still playing with ideas of biological emotion and our limitations within it. Especially as believers that bodily experiences can be divine.

I'll try not to resort to a big bloody fishy mess on this one. I might even try some other colours. Get a little wild.

Rachelle's work leaves home

Well well well, Blog. I remember you. And all the guilt you bring me whenever people ask if they can view some of my art online. It's excruciatingly embarrasing to say, "Yes, I have some online, but the site has not been updated in over a year." And here's the clincher - I want people to be able to see all the work! Shame on me (3 hail Mary's?).

Here is a deposit of images.

Okay.

Here is a deposit of images that reflect the paintings that I recently hung in a fabulous coffee shop in Victoria called Solstice Cafe (529 Pandora Street). I am so excited and proud to have some of my work on display, and in such a cool place! Let's put it this way... they have an award on the wall for being the best place in Victoria to breastfeed. And the food is amazing. And the tea... don't get me started. But either way, here's an update of what I've been up to, and I intend to dedicate some efforts to keep this website in better shape.

PS: If you actually click on the images above, they should expand so you can see bigger images. Also, anything with fish heads in it tends to be newer work. Cheers all!

My meat helps compose the heavens.

Painting Update: Sept. 14, 2009. Here is where we are standing now with this painting. Also, note the detail photo so you can really get a feel for what it looks like in real life. It's gory in the perfect romantic way.




New project: Sept. 13, 2009. This is sort of a continuation of the practice with dogs, fish heads, frustration, value of self, and demonstration of the biological expression of emotion. Plus there is just something about meat that is hilarious.

Materiality, my playground!

Painting update: August 30, 2009. I think I maaaay be reaching completion! I think I am slowly accepting and appreciating the composition of the image, but I think I might need something heavier in there to anchor it... or maybe not. I guess we will see!



Painting Update: Aug. 26, 2009. The layers are really starting to contribute rather than plague the overall painting. Huh. Tea time!






Painting Update: Aug. 24, 2009. Ahhhh what a mess. I knew it had to go there before it got better, but... bah. Painting can be so cruel. I am trying to think about the horrible things cheese and wine go through before they get good. I'm going to go eat something and try to remind myself that painting cannot be trusted.





New project: August 19, 2009 (started early July). These images are a work in progress for a friend and colleague who foolishly asked me to make a painting for her! Sucker. I mean, best decision of her life! Right?

This project is getting increasingly more fun as I putter along. I have missed splashing around and making a mess and then getting anxiety attacks that I may have destroyed my wood floors. This puppy already has a gallon of house paint (1/2 interior and 1/2 exterior, latex) on it, and a bunch of heavy canvas underneath swaddling it.

I don't think looking at how paint interacts with itself will ever get old.

Don't worry, the ugly pink was mostly just to facilitate the fabric swaddling. It's already entirely gone, and we are on to actually making the painting look generally pleasing, an important step towards the flabbergasted confusion/I love it? reaction I'm looking for. It is also planned that the final work will be much lighter, I just wanted to start off dark to get some depth going on. I guess this means on to the acrylic stages.