Salon Challenge #6 - I Would Paint You a Poem (1)

Geez, I'm definitely not the best blogger

in the world.

I had to go back and correct some things on this blog

from past challenges

AND

I haven't posted about our Salon Challenge #6!

Which was:

We all found a poem which we thought

might inspire a painting and threw those into a hat.

Breakage, by Mary Oliver was chosen ... 

(side note, Barbara and I chose the SAME poem!!!!!)

So there were really 3 different poems in the hat.

It was my turn to choose parameters for the challenge

- which were:

                      1 - paint a non-objective abstract 

                                                        (cannot see recognizable "things" in the painting)

2 - unlimited palette

3 - unlimited size     

The poem, read out loud felt just right for me to use Cold Wax Medium with my oils,
and yes, layers - many layers.

 I learned a thing or two during this whole process. 

Moonsnails have a romantic name, and are quite pretty

but they are a predatory snail

eating mostly bivalves

such as clams, mussels and scallops. They drill a hole

and "suck out" the bivalve!

Drew some sketches to get in the mood.

I prepared my board with gesso mixed with Iridescent Gold acrylic

With the idea of a shell with whorls, I wrote the poem on my board in waxy pencil.

My palette (I think): aliz crimson, sap green, ultram blue, transp oxide red + white

 The following photos (I remembered!) are progress shots.

Thought I would try to save some words, but it didn't work.

 Tried again ...

 Arghhh ... and again

(I really wanted to have some of the writing showing thru ...)

The final below. 

After the reveal we were deciding on final viewing direction.

We came upon this and

I like it.

Edge of the Sea     CWM & oil on panel, no frame      14 x 16 inches

Thank you for checking this blog! 

I cannot thank you enough for your thoughts and words in

the comments at the end of the posts.

Feel free to check our other challenges, too, 

from the lists on the right side in the "blog archive" list.

I still have to post the most recent challenge: #7

and then we are on to our final challenge.

please

 stay

 tuned!