Painting – Page 5 – Deidre Adams

Suspension of Disbelief

Suspension of Disbelief, 48 x 72 inches, acrylic & mixed media on panel – ©2013 Deidre Adams

My last two posts were about a series of small paintings I’m finishing up. But I like to keep things interesting for myself, so at the same time I’ve been working on what are for me a couple of very large paintings. Since my studio is in my master bedroom, this is the largest painting on wood I can conceivably do in that space. I normally work with panels horizontally, on the table, because my method is mostly too wet and sloppy to do upright, at least until close to the end. A panel this size is too heavy for me to lift by myself, so instead of working on my table, I spread out plastic on the floor and work on them there. This is working out pretty well because I can easily get around to all four sides of a work. Once the latest layers are settled enough, I can stand the first painting up in the bathroom to dry and then set the next one down on the floor to work on. Who needs a gym when you can manhandle these things around all day?

Suspension of Disbelief (detail) – ©2012 Deidre Adams

February 19th, 2013|Painting|Comments Off

Painting for Leap Day

Vernacular, 36 x 36 inches, acrylic on panel, ©2012 Deidre Adams

Posting has been quiet here for a while, due to the fact that I’ve been working on revamping my web site and blog. Naturally, this has taken longer than I anticipated, even going by the standard formula for time estimation: multiply by 3 and add 20 minutes. But I didn’t want to let February get by without posting some new work, of which there is quite a lot that I need to photograph and title. I had been in the mood to do another white painting, but somehow the color snuck in at the end – no doubt I’m yearning for spring.

Vernacular (detail), ©2012 Deidre Adams

February 29th, 2012|Painting|3 Comments

Happy 2012

Surface Tension, 30 x 40 inches, acrylic on panel, ©2011 Deidre Adams

New Year’s Day is my favorite day of the year. Starting with the prior November, the craziness of the holidays takes hold and makes me feel anxious, and I kind of just hold my breath until it’s all over. Normally, I don’t watch a lot of TV except for Stewart & Colbert on Hulu and movies on Netflix, but in the past couple of months, I saw a lot more than usual, and the holiday commercials were just surreal. Somehow, our priorities got very out of whack, and everything feels forced and fake. The bulk of what I saw seemed to be about enhancing one’s experience of having one’s eyes glued firmly to little screens at all times, enjoying who knows what inanity and making no attempt to connect with live humans in one’s vicinity. Or if not that, how to make your woman feel special, because hey, we all know that every kiss begins with Kay®. The defining moment of our sad slide came last night, when we briefly turned on network TV to find a countdown to midnight, and there was Toby Keith singing an ode to a Red Solo Cup, while mindless plastic-faced automatons in the audience waved their red cups in unison.

Now, finally, we have a new year and a chance to refresh, renew, or just plain restart.

I’m really glad 2011 is over. It was a good year for me personally, but for my country, it was unbelievably terrible. I hope that in 2012 we can find a way to come together and start caring about one another and about our planet before it’s too late. I don’t really know where I’m going with this train of thought, but I’ve been feeling guilty lately about enjoying making my art in my own happy little world while so much is going so wrong. Making art can be a very selfish endeavor, as I do it for myself alone, and I don’t attempt to use it for any greater good. I want to change that in 2012, but I don’t know how. Any ideas?

We all have different definitions of success and happiness, but whatever yours may be, may you experience them in the coming year.

January 1st, 2012|Art, Painting|3 Comments