Tea, Felt and Froth-The Process

This long, cold winter I found myself once again drawn to felting and drinking many cups of tea.   Aha, what about doing something interesting with these "two of my favorite things?"  I had a good amount of off white roving (wool) and decided to dip my hands in warm water and soap and fashion pieces of felt.

wool locks,  ivory wool, plus a bag of silk fibers

I do believe that artists are scientists and I love to "experiment" with different elements.  I love chai tea lattes, the froth and creamy, smooth color.  Ahhh!  So, why not see how loose tea when captured in wool would look and smell.  Time to get out the tools.

I did a bit of brewing  and used the tea instead of warm water.  I also decided to just throw loose tea onto the second to the last layer of wool (roving).  I then added a thin layer of roving over it to catch the tea.  Agitating it with my  hands, adding soap, beating it up - oh the smell was wonderful - I created my own froth.  

I made many pieces of all different sizes - just letting the wool make its own shape.  The photo below shows where I created a pocket and felted in a whole tea bag.  I also added white wool locks.  At times I added strings from the bags and the tags plus small fabric doilies.  Notice the curly wool locks below.

doilies.

Here are the pieces placed but not felted.  It took several times to make the final arrangement.  Notice the little pocket in the middle - I decided not to include it in this piece.

all together now

So now what to do with it.  I was off to the craft store to buy a canvas. I finally decided on one that was big enough and left some breathing room.  I painted it in the same mocha colors as the felt.  So now how to get it on the canvas?  NEEDLE AND THREAD!  It took many hours to stitch the felt onto the canvas (the back is quite lovely)!

"TEA, FELT AND FROTH""

36" x 48" on gallery wrapped canvas

By the way - it smells delicious!

Daisy, How Did You Grow?

"Daisy"

"Daisy",  tell us your beginnings...

THE SKETCH-notice, "Daisy out and about"  Even in the beginning she was exploring.

Louise Brooks

Several of my "Ladies" are infuenced by the adorable Louise Brooks, pictured above.  She was a 1920's dancer and silent film star.  Read more about her at  http://pandorasbox.com/

I love British mystery books.  "Daisy" was influenced by the character Daisy from the Daisy Dalrymple mysteries written by Carola Dunn.http://caroladunn.weebly.com/daisy-dalrymple-mysteries.html.  The character has a friend named Sakira who gives her a scarf as a present.  Hence, my "Daisy" gets one to wrap up in.

It can be quite a jump from the sketch to the canvas.  "Daisy" took a good long jump from commanding the paper in the sketch to shrinking (poor girl) when she landed onto the canvas.  So, what would be around her?

Rolling hills, sky and clouds, farmhouse, road, and trees.   The flowers were the last to be painted.  I needed new colors at the bottom and ones that would POP!  I don't always know what colors will work, but thankfully with acrylic paint (which dries quickly), I can always make a correction.  I am happy with the selection and they fill in quite nicely giving more depth to the painting.

Here is the finished "Daisy" 

As I am sure you would like to know the story behind the woman,  please amble on over to my website.  Click on "Portfolios" "Note Cards" and you will find "Daisy" and her prose. http://artistfascia.com.  Her blank note card is lovely to send to a friend-know anyone who "Daisy" reminds you of? She's also available on the original canvas and in print (plug, plug).

Portrait Painting Beginnings and Polly

I hope you'll enjoy my new series about creating the women in my portfolio-their inspiration and birthing.  The ideas come from English mystery novels, nature, the Art Deco period, the 1920's and 30's, flappers, models, fashion, color and texture and, of course, my mind.  

Each of my "Ladies" becomes very personal to me.  After all, you can't spend hours and hours with someone and not get to know them.  The funny thing is that they tend to change (just like a woman, eh?).  

From the sketch to the canvas can be a tricky business.   I cannot re-create a face and you will see this when you compare the pencil drawing to the painted lady.  It amazes me how much one tiny line of the nostril, the eyes and the mouth can change the whole feeling.  I feel like a cross between a plastic surgeon and a makeup artist.  

The "Prose" written on the back of the blank note cards are usually written after a painting is created.  Some of them were written months afterwards and some developed as I was painting.  As unbelievable as it sounds, the women seem to talk to me.  This happens when their face is completed-and often, as said before, their demeanor and words may change.

"Polly"

Polly is the smallest "Lady" I have done.  She is 8" x 10"on gallery wrapped canvas.  Unlike most of the other paintings,  the design is continued on the sides.  It just felt right.  She is done in acrylic, as usual, with a bit more use of artist pens.  Artist pens are markers-fine point pens, most of them by Faber -Castell.  I wanted her to be very Art Deco and stylized with not too much detail so there is very little shading-especially on the hat and blue sphere.

Below is how Polly began.  I found a profile of a girl in a hat in a magazine.  I sketched her, cut her out
and traced her onto the canvas.  I substituted a vine and flowers for the pearls in the sketch.   I have a thing for tendrils and vines..I like the flow, density and delicacy.

I had a picture of a bird and thought he/she would be a good addition.   (As mentioned above, her nose changes from sketch to canvas).  Notice the sharper nose and a more horizontal nostril in the sketch.  She's not quite as upper crust as in the sketch.  The blue sphere is seen in many Art Deco drawings.  As in several of my paintings, she is not in an actual landscape.  She is very stylized as the period dictates.  

I can't remember why I gave her that name.  I usually get names from novels I read, but I'm not sure that's true in her case.   I do think it suits her, though.  No, not from "Polly wants a cracker."

Her "Prose" is on the back of her matching note card.  I have to admit, I love the last line.  

To view the last line and more, please go to "Portfolios", "notecards" on my website 
           http://artistfascia.com         

Please click to "follow" me to learn about the creation of my other portraits.