We and the boat have been back home in New Jersey all summer. I have spent many hours furiously painting in the studio, getting maritime-themed pieces ready for the two big art fairs I had scheduled this year.
First I created 7 painting/collages on wood panels that are 12”x12”x2 1/2”. The small size enabled me to feel confident creating a new image vocabulary and developing new techniques, without committing to a large size, with its risk of a BIG mistake. I realize that I am painting equally with textured colored papers and my acrylic paints. The papers add a layer of rich color and texture to the paintings.
I am painting around the edges of the wood panel since they are so deep. This gives the pieces a finished look without framing them. They are instead protected with several layers of matte varnish and have more of a physical presence on the wall. Sometimes I have to make a decision on how to present an object when continuing an image around a corner when 3 planes meet on the picture surface that would not meet in the real world.
After these initial paintings, I moved to larger sized panels; three pieces 18” x 24” x 1/12” and one that is 24” x 24” x 2 1/2”. There are many more panels in my studio ready to go!
Painting scenes that I encounter on the waterways has been letting me relive the tranquility and beauty that I find there and then take it out into the big world to share with my viewers.
(c)Denise Mumm 2018
Porthole View: Sassafras River, 24”x24”x2 1/2”, acrylic paint & collage on wood panel