June 17, 2008

In yesterday's blog I wrote a bit about artists using recyclable materials when creating pieces of art. Many of the typical recyclable materials are creating pieces that are 3 Dimensional (with the exception of photographs or prints of said pieces. But there are also ways to create 2 Dimensional pieces as well. Paper artists are always combining papers many use recycled papers already. Painters have been using wood, stone and masonite for many many years. In fact I once saw two of Frida Kahlo's pieces in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC. I was surprised to find that both pieces were painted on masonite having incorrectly assumed that masonite was a modern building material. Since both paintings were done in the late 30s, I came home and started asking my "builder" friends about the origin of masonite. We were all surprised to find that masonitte had been created in 1924. After inspired by Ms. Kahlo's use of masonite I used a left-over scrap from reconstructing my house. This piece is called "Carnivale Cruise on the Cuyahoga" It was created in 2004. The materials are acrylic on recycled masonite which had to be primed with gesso before I could paint on it.

This piece was painted after I took a friend of mine (the reoccurring redhead) to the Cleveland Clinic for a detoxing procedure. The trip was a week long with lots of illness, vomiting and crying from my friend and my pathetic attempts at nursemaid. When we got home both our families were annoyed at been left to their own devises and decided we had taken a vacation-thus the title.

Sorry for the sales pitch but like everything life is expensive and there are always bills to be paid. If you like my work and want to support my endeavors please consider purchasing a painting. I have just put up the painting, ""A Silver Titter Stole My Baby"" on Ebay. It is a painting I'm proud for artistically as well as socially. It is acrylic paint on organic cotton and hemp canvas. Please feel free to pass the link to friends and family members and if you are so inclined feel free to purchase this painting for yourself.