Thursday, March 17, 2011

It's Not Like We're Trying To Say Anything

Mat I With Portrait Insert, 3X4' , Mixed Media On Canvas

Mat II With Green Insert, 3X4' , Mixed Media On Canvas

Mat III With Red Insert, 3X4' , Mixed Media On Canvas

I did these with my secret formulas largely consisting of Elmers Glue-all.  I think this may be a possibility for where I may be going.  Or not.  Still thinkin.  OK maybe not mats, but same approach. 

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20 comments:

Jan Yates, SCA, Canada said...

they put me in mind of icons and the fayum Egyptian portraits--i quite like them and what you did-and did not do-inside the matt--looks like something is unfolding--the texture actually reminds me of encaustic--have you tried it yet? i have a feeling you will take to it like a duck to water--i can see you drawing into it and applying heaps of pigment and gold leaf--hell never mind you, looking at these inspires me to heat up the wax asap

William Cook said...

Hi Jan--So interesting that you see these as encaustics. These methods also remind me of what encaustic artists are doing currently. See why I've been so inquisitive? These are thirty years old. My new ideas will include all sorts of stuff including my secret formula including Elmer's Glue-all, fused wax, gold leaf, drawing, collage--nothing will be sacred--acrylic floor wax, crayons, sawdust, fish scales--I don't care, in it goes. Alas, I have not started anything yet, but I'm chompin at the bit, can't you tell?. It's all on that damned back burner. I've been tied up with a National Arboretum commission (the Dogwood Collection aerial will make a great post). Thing's been hanging over my head for a year. Soon--very soon. As for you, roll that hot plate out and fire that mother up. Do some righteous battle with those panels before you dot another I. \\///\

Caroline Simmill said...

Interesting wee works of art there Bill. I hope you find some time to create some new art soon. Have you thought about sketching, during my study journey I discovered the interest on sketching thumbnails. They can be done anywhere sitting in a cafe, by a landscape or the beach. No pressure to get it right just a freedom of expression. I may do a post on thumbnails on my blog soon.

Linda Roth said...

Ancient simplicity. Architectural. Again play between near and far. I would stick with your mix. Encaustic strikes me as being more suitable for smaller pieces. Would be quite a chore on 3' x 4'--one that would permanently confine it to the back burner for me. I wouldn't have thought of you as doing work for an Arboretum. Now I am curious.

hw (hallie) farber said...

At first I thought they were 3x4inches! The more I look the more I'm mystified. Are they heavily textured mats with inserts or are they canvases painted to look like heavily textured mats with inserts? I'd almost bet on the latter. Whitchever--the titles are fantastic; so is the art.

William Cook said...

Hi Caroline--

I am a big proponent of thumnails and sketching. The wonderful thumbnail/planning examples of Katherine vanSchoonhoven, and Jane Minter have not gone unnoticed here. And Lorianne's value studies are quite enlightening in terms of the development process. My own thumbnails are not very presentational at all, and usually in B&W, a couple quick compositionals and I'm off.

Now sketching is another story. Maggie Latham's recent daily sketch discipline with those WC pencils drives me nuts, as yow know. We can all take a lesson from her and develop that as normal routine.

But your point is sound--carry a pad and some sketching sticks around have at it, and don't make such a big deal over it. Anywhere and everywhere. You're right--recently, I have been remiss.

At different times in the past, though, I've carried on this discipline, and do look forward to more of it in the near future. Should I'll post some of them as they come along?

Wee? What a wonderful word!

Your seascapes and skys are magnificent. I've been enjoying them so much. Thanks for your wonderful comments.

Wm

William Cook said...

Hi Linda--And I shall pick up where I left off with my own processes. However, like I was telling Jan, I'm not opposed to allowing some fused wax processes, like substances and other foolishness into the mix, it'll be all the fun. What the hell's wrong with Pledge acrylic floor coating? It's tough and it doesn't yellow--perfect glazing medium! And if it all falls apart--oh well. That said, I am a decent enough technician--I'll know when to use the broken glass and fish scales.

I've been the illustrator for the US National Arboretum in DC for about 4 years now. They've been redoing all their literature. I've been providing either straight down illustrated maps, or aerial views (3d illustrations from the air). These are wayfinding pieces, so they first and formost are "legible", in terms of features and trails, not like photography. I'm looking forwward to finishing the National Dogwood Collection in the next few days, I'll post it.

I can't believe I'm doing previews of coming attractions. Ha.

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William Cook said...

Hi Hallie--They actually are giant matts, each a stretched canvas with a hole. The center panels are each painted on plywood. I'm actually not opposed to showing these without the center panels--let them be just matts, all the fun was in making the matts not necessarily the inserts (although I've grown attached to the red "door").

Looks like your last post made quit a stir in the blogosphere! Best regards to your interpreter, and welcome back. Bill

Linda Roth said...

I just had to add that encaustic is a great medium if dust could be a problem. Wax repels dust. I used it to color paper relief sculptures for that reason. I didn't want to have any dust accumulating in the crevices as years passed; I didn't want to have to box frame them either.

Aerial "mapping" of sorts--now there's an art connected job I never thought of. Damn.

William Cook said...

Wax repels dust? I did not know this. Is that why mom always waxed the dining room furniture? I never understood that. B)

Ces Adorio said...

Looks like a lot of fun. May I suggest using a pH balanced glue to prevent yellowing? Acid-free materials seem to last longer. The glue is not that expensive. I just picked up a bottle for myself at Asheville last weekend except I don't know where it is now. They should be available at any store.

Ces Adorio said...

Oh I have to make another comment just to type the word verification. "greig" my favorite composer.

Okay, you may also use liquitex soluvar for acrylic paints to even out the surface without dampening the texture. That prevents dust and makes the colors stand out!

William Cook said...

Thanks for those tips Ces, great to hear from you. I have no earthly idea about acrylics, although they have a place in my future, the more I read. I've also been watching some instructional youtubes. For the past 25 years or so I've been a pen and ink illustrator, however, and am looking forward to blowing into some serious experimentals in the mear future. Thanks. Love your P&I works!

\\///\

William Cook said...

Thanks for those tips Ces, great to hear from you. I have no earthly idea about acrylics, although they have a place in my future, the more I read. I've also been watching some instructional youtubes. For the past 25 years or so I've been a pen and ink illustrator, however, and am looking forward to blowing into some serious experimentals in the mear future. Thanks. Love your P&I works!

\\///\

SKIZO said...

Beautiful
Work

William Cook said...

Thanks, Skizo--back at ya. B)

SippicanCottage said...

I like the red one best, William, but they are all interesting to look at.

William Cook said...

Hey Sipp--Thanks for dropping in! Me too. I don't know why. I suppose if you do enough of this stuff eventually you run into an archetype. Maybe that's it.

Bridgette Guerzon Mills said...

These are wonderful. It's funny that one of the commenters mentioned encaustic, because when I first looked at these, I thought that they were encaustic!

Love the red.

William Cook said...

Hi Bridgette--Thanks for stopping by--and for your wonderful comments! I was particularly taken with the encaustic painters of today because it reminded me of these pieces. That red one really has attracted some attention. Interesting.