Painting Step, pieces in progress

 

Continuing to work on these little mixed media abstracts I started a week ago.  My new pieces are painted now after the mask.  Next step below, mask removed from two pieces.

Next 2 steps are the hard part - collage and then bringing it all together.  With 3 pieces this will take awhile so I will post one piece at a time.  I'm seeing vines and maybe branches in the bigger piece, not sure where it will go yet.  Oh and I decided to use acrylics instead of watercolors and I'm happy with the results.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Apple Branch drawing

 

My virtual Intro To Drawing class Just finished this drawing Monday.  I found this image on pixabay.com and loved the design however it needed to be cropped as it was to long and we added the bottom leaf for a better composition.  The class did some amazing drawings!  This was a lesson on values and we discussed negative space.  Next week we will continue to discuss negative space and it's importance for getting correct proportions along with comparative measuring.

Still room in my Drawing The Seasons class which begins Oct. 25, 2021. Drawing The Seasons

Hopefully I can get in some paint time this week!  I have a start using masking gum, still working on some abstracts.  Watercolor paper taped down and mask applied, next step is paint.  I'm going back and forth whether to use watercolor or acrylics, Hmmmmm.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Uncontained

 

Uncontained seems appropriate for my new mixed media piece.  There really are no limits when you work with mixed media however you still strive for good design and composition.  That's always been a problem for me working with abstracts so I decided to get help by taking a virtual workshop with Karen Knutson.  She has amazing design skills and I'm beginning to get an understanding or feel for abstracts.  They are super hard for me so it's challenging, I spend way more time creating abstracts than my representational pieces.  It may look like I just threw a bunch of stuff on a board and walked away but each collage piece and pen work was very intentional.  I've got three more pieces started it will be fun to see where they go, even if they fail I will have learned something and moved farther along.  Still working to loosen up!

This painting is 8x10 inches and a combination of watercolor, collage and pen.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Fall Drawing Classes

My drawing classes have started again!  These are virtual classes I teach through the Rumriver Art Center, Anoka MN.  I love these virtual classes, no driving anywhere, just get up and go to my studio.  Does that make me lazy?  I prefer to think of it as efficient and doing my part to be green, that sounds better than being lazy.  I still get to meet new people, socialize and be a part of an art community so it's all good.

Drawing The Seasons is my new drawing class that starts October 25, 2021.  For more info:

Drawing The Seasons 

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Sisters

 

Click Here For More Info:  5 1/2" x 7 1/2" (an extra 1/4" around for matting), mixed media (acrylic and marker) on watercolor paper

Still having fun with mixed media while planning some new fall and winter classes I will be teaching.  These are a real departure from my other work and I probably spend more time painting them but they are fun, freeing and challenging.  They are sort of like taking a vacation. 

I did some fun sketches a few years back that I'm rediscovering.  My hopes were to do something with these sketches and this medium seems to be perfect.  I've been inspired by artist Karen Knutson who in turn is inspired by Gustav Klimt.  Gustav painted incorporating a bunch of small shapes to create a whole and the patterns are so interesting.  If you do a google search for Gustav you'll recognize his work.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Summer Song

 

5x7 inches, Mixed Media on watercolor paper

This has been a summer of new landscaping, interior remodeling with a bit of health issues mixed in.  With all of that going on it's been hard to find time to create.  I've been playing with more mixed media to keep inspired.  This one was put away for awhile because I wasn't sure where it was going, it needed connection to pull it together.  I found a napkin with these big spots, moved it around and realized it was the missing piece.  Then the name just came, the painting said this is a song of summer because summer is busy, loud, noisy, swirling with constant movement, joyful and almost chaotic.  Summer wakes up with a scream, it sings and makes the most of having the little time to be loose and free, at least in the midwest when nature sleeps so long.  I hope you are having a joyful chaotic summer!

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Mom Collage

 Ever since my Mom passed in 2013 I've been obsessed with creating art pieces, mostly mixed media, from old family photos of her image.  We have a lot of great photos of her, my Dad loved taking photos and his photos of Mom remind me of the pin up girls popular in the 40's, (I'll be trying some of those one day).

I feel closer to my Mom searching through these photos and capturing her image.  Even though I never knew the Mom child her personality shines through the photos and brings me to a closer understanding of who she was along with her many life stories she shared.  Maybe this is my way of bringing her back, or giving her extra love that I should have been more generous with.  Do I have to have a why?  My Mom was an artist, a painter, I hope she would be happy with these little pieces.  She was my greatest fan, I will always miss talking art with her.

In the two sisters piece my Mom is on the left in blue, bottom picture she has the white hair.  She only had one sister among four brothers and she loved her dearly.  The "Fly" piece is a face photo of Mom as she was embarking on a new adventure by moving to Arizona, I believe she was 16.  

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright