Saturday, June 18, 2016

Crackled Earth, Suspended Trees


What a relief it is that our sulky, hot-tempered El Nino has taken his toys and gone home, leaving us waiting for what his sister has in mind for us, the rest of the year. She is more prone to tearful rages, but is often more cool and aloof.  We'll see.  Looks like she has already started her gentle rains in our Pacific Northwest.

I have been playing more seriously with Golden textural mediums, acrylic bases for paintings on hardboard surfaces, lately.  I'm having a lot of fun with the crackle paste, which shrinks a bit as it dries, leaving a crazed surface similar to the glaze at the bottom of a Japanese tea bowl.  I discovered how staining the surface on one side with a diluted mix of water and instant espresso crystals immediately draws the dark liquid across through the cracks in a very dramatic way!  This acrylic painting was inspired by a little sketch I did on a sticky note sheet a number of months ago.  I like it so much, and I take it as a good sign that each time I study it, theme and variations of this image pops into my imagination, wanting to be expressed. SOON!

Cradled hardboard with espresso and acrylic paint, 8" x 10" 

5 comments:

  1. Oh my Elsbeth ... this is quite spectacular. The painting has such depth - the trees almost look separate somehow. Beautiful - and your inspiration .. wow. hugs, Donna

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    1. Thank you, Donna, what a sweet observance! These trees seem to be saying something as they hover, but haven't yet figured it out, so maybe I'll get it on the seventh painting of the series. I see them in doorways, gripping planets, looming over crevasses. More shadows. Your colors in your beautiful paintings so inspire me, my dear!

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  2. what a fascinating Uprooted feel...I like your comments so much too.

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    1. Thank you, Winna! I still can't quite figure out what the uprooted symbolism means, as there's nothing in my life that supports that, but I just go with the impulse, and maybe it makes sense to others.

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  3. I have never tried crackle paste before, it looks like such fun. Trees are one of my favorite things, these are lovely, Elsbeth!

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