15 January 2016

Paperlings

Chez Studio Verna, 2016 has begun with paperlings: small works on paper.

I took a break during the last few weeks of 2015, then on January 1st I was back into the studio - I was so much into the studio that I did not make any blog posts for awhile!  Now it is time.

First thing I did this year was to make some wee stitched paintings on paper.

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I'd found some cool little frames several months ago, not knowing what I'd wind up using them for.  Often that is a good way to go about things.

paperlings

These paintings are made with acrylic paint and ink on Arches rag paper.  They are called "Vibrato".  (thanks Russell for your suggestion!)

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They are small; 4x4, 5x5 and 6x6 inches.  I have not often framed my work, and I'm liking these.

framed works on paper

I like them all together better than individually.  Perhaps because they are so small, they seem to need each other to read and breathe and live.

In between working on the Vibrato series, I played around on some other small bits of paper about 8x8 inches:

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paperlings

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paintings on paper

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paper paintings

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Then yesterday I began to experiment with making collograph prints: working on paper again!

collograph print

Above, printing "plate" made with school glue drawing on matboard, and printed with a roller and Speedball water-soluble block printing ink on 140lb paper.

Below, fun with feathers:

collograph print

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It's been a long time since I made prints, maybe 20 years.  Wow.  I am remembering just how much fun printing is!  There is a magic in working on a "plate" to create an image - and then printing from that plate, which changes the image sometimes quite radically.  

So there is the beginning of the year in my studio:  A new series of tiny, framed paintings, a few little open-ended explorations, and an initial foray into simple printmaking techniques.  All using paper.

Paperlings... I wonder where they will lead?

As ever, I'm curious about this ongoing creative journey, and happy to be able to make blog posts which I hope will connect with a few people along the way.

Thank you for reading!

:)
V

5 comments:

Robyn said...

I really like the 8x8 ones :)

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Verna,

I love the small stitched work, Vibrato, apart and together. And I love, love, love, the larger loose watercoloury work in amazing colours, and wow printmaking too!

I have been working mostly on one large painting, and feel like a slackard seeing all of this stunning work.

Happy New Year you wonderful artist!

XOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Verna Vogel said...

Thank you both so much!

Robyn: I was just using up the leftover washy paint with those 8x8s... interesting how things go when they are not at all precious in the making, hey. :)

Barbara: You are no slackard, woman - I am amazed at all you've done with your cracked knee! Your paintings are beautiful, like you.

With the printmaking I'm working out some ideas to teach a class of 7-8 year-olds next month. They are studying fossils and I thought printmaking and fossils kinda go together, conceptually speaking.

:)
V

P.D. Crumb aker said...

Good morning, Verna, and a belated Happy New Year. Can't wait to see the places you go in the upcoming year. I love these small pieces (no surprise, since I love all your work).

Verna Vogel said...

Thank you P.D.!! The feeling is mutual! :)