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Artist R.L. Gibson

Category: Results

DAY 30: Salvo

Salvo (5"x5" watercolor) by R.L. Gibson
Salvo (5″x5″ watercolor) by R.L. Gibson

We made it to Day 30 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!  What a roller coaster it has been. Today’s painting is “Salvo” (watercolour, 5″x5″).  Last night’s show was fun, and I’m the speaker for a conference on getting into juried shows in an hour at Scarlet Seven Gallery.  And, then I will get on the road headed for home with another stop over in Pennsylvania.  Plus, it is the final day of the challenge.  I needed the work.  I needed the process.  I needed the rollercoaster.  Maybe I didn’t need to share it all so explicitly, but I did.  So there.  I feel like I have fired a canon into the world and wait with baited breath to feel the impact. An aggressive act of happy expectation.  I am guilty of that –choosing happiness.  It gets me in trouble.  So here I am.  Here it is.  Trouble.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offered me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice. 

Until next time…

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DAY 29: Waft

"Waft" (6"x9" watercolour) by R.L. Gibson
“Waft” (6″x9″ watercolour) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 29 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; today’s painting is “Waft” (watercolour, 6″x9″).  I am on the road today driving from Pennsylvania to an art opening in New York.  All this time in the car has left me with a lot time to think.  I’ve done a lot of over sharing during this 30-Day Challenge.  I really took this challenge to force me to show my painting to a world that only knows me for xerography & digital illustration.  I didn’t expect to react quite the way I have.  On Day 27, I wrote of being sodden with overwhelming possibility.  Today I feel lighter.  The possibility feel lighter, allowing me waft through instead of sinking under the weight.  It is interesting how subtle the difference in feeling is and how equally subtle the difference between the work is on these two days.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice. 

How do I end the challenge?  Day 30 is upon us.

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DAY 28: Murmur

Murmur (5"x5" watercolour) by R.L. Gibson
Murmur (5″x5″ watercolour) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 27 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; today’s painting is “Murmur” (watercolour, 5″x5″).  I am on the road from Virginia to Pennsylvania on my way to New York tomorrow for an art opening.  I am excited to have eight pieces in a show, and happier still to be able to attend the opening.  But, I have whispers of other work needling me.  I have all these paintings and that equivocal, nagging doubt about media that I don’t normally show to the world.  I have a new series of xerography work just budding, but I have to walk away for days to celebrate the work already here being shown. I’ve already been hyper-emotional mess this month; the last thing I need are these pulls at my artistic self that make me feel a little crazy –like voices murmuring.  But here I am anyway.  So, I’ll just make the art.  This is what murmuring feels like, fuzzy edges.  Happy with a shadow.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice. 

I’m oversharing again.  I’ll try to reel it in on Day 28.

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DAY 26: Whir

Whir (5"x5") by R.L. Gibson
Whir (5″x5″ watercolour) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 26 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; today’s painting is “Whir” (watercolour, 5″x5″).  Despite all the painting I’ve done this month, I started a new xerography piece centered around Columbus Circle, one of New York’s most heavily trafficked traffic circles. Virtually every image of this landmark feature one thing in common –the yellow cab.

Remember those first 15 days of acrylics?  They were studies for a new xerography series.  This could be the start, and today’s painting was inspired by that work.  I’ve been a busy bee.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice. 

Today was better than yesterday. What will day 27 bring?

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DAY 25: Tenebrific

Tenebrific (5"x5" watercolour) by R.L. Gibson
Tenebrific (5″x5″ watercolour) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 25 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; today’s painting is “Tenebrific” (watercolour, 5″x5″).  I had a such a hard day; an icy blue ugly day.  Everyone has had one of those days.  A day when you would have been better off pulling the covers over your head and waiting out the next revolution of the earth.  This piece is that bottomless pool whose weight around your ankles keeps pulling you down while lulling your into complacency.  How do I find the surface?  Tomorrow is another day.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice. 

Fingers Crossed Day 26 is better.

DAY 23: Pulse

Pulse (5"x5" watercolor) by R.L. Gibson
Pulse (5″x5″ watercolour) by R.L. Gibson

We only have a week to go. It is already Day 23 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Pulse” (watercolour, 5″x5″).

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice.  This image reminds me of an EKG readout, a record of the beating of a heart.  Nearly 3 years ago, I rushed my young(ish) husband to the hospital fearful that he might be having a heart attack.  We were relieved to find out is was a common arrhythmia.  Although scary, it isn’t really harmful.  I remember those brief moments when I thought I might lose him, my stomach in my throat.  It felt like this piece.

Maybe more watercolor for day twenty-four?

DAY 21: Bosky

Bosky (5" x 5" watercolour) by Artist R.L. Gibson
Bosky (5″ x 5″ watercolour) by Artist R.L. Gibson

It is Day 21 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Bosky” (watercolour, 5″x5″). 

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice.  Limiting my palette often ends up informing content and composition.  Maybe we’ll visit the other end of the spectrum in the days to come.

Let’s see where watercolour takes us… on day Twenty-Two.

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DAY 18: Lateral

"Lateral" (acrylic on paper 6"x6") by R.L. Gibson
“Lateral” (acrylic on paper 6″x6″) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 18 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Lateral” (acrylic on paper, 6″x6″), my do-over of yesterday.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice.  Another day has passed, and I haven’t found any additional color.  This one feels more successful than yesterday, but it is still a lateral move.

I am ready for a big change… on day Nineteen.

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DAY 17: Rove

"Rove" (acrylic on paper 6"x6") by R.L. Gibson
“Rove” (acrylic on paper 6″x6″) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 17 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Rove” (acrylic on paper, 6″x6″).

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice.  I didn’t manage to find more color today. My intention keeps getting stuck in the unintentional.  Yesterday was a hard day artistically.  Everything turned out wrong.  I’m not sure how I feel about this beginning.  I am going to try another take on this same unintentional roving tomorrow.

I will try again… on day Eighteen.

DAY 15: 140°

"140°" (acrylic on 5″×7″ unstretched canvas) by R.L. Gibson
“140°” (acrylic on 5″×7″ unstretched canvas) by R.L. Gibson

It is Day 15 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  My fifteenth offering is “140º” (acrylic on 5″×7″ unstretched canvas)Will be available in my Etsy Shop.

As a xerographist, my work tends to be, almost exclusively, representational.  The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge offers me an opportunity to revisit abstract painting as an alternate voice.  It seems fitting that the end (at least temporarily) to the traffic circle paintings would unintentionally resemble a sunset.  Sometimes we unconsciously move with intent.  Tomorrow I will begin again. I’ve decided to move to square canvas for a while to force a different perspective.  I like painting inside a theme, but I don’t know that will happen.  Time will tell.

140º is the fifteenth AND FINAL of a number of paintings inspired by traffic circles:  “As a frequent traveler, I am both comforted and amused by the familiar behaviors found while traversing the traffic circle.  Well-intentioned drivers lean forward to afford themselves a better view of street signs, use their right turn signal despite all options being right turns, momentarily hit the brakes not quite certain of their choice before barreling ahead often without noticing the presence or location of other drivers on the circle or having to go ’round again because they missed the mark the first time.  It is sort of a perfect metaphor for navigating life.”

Remember, this canvas is available for $50 in my Etsy Shop.

A new adventure begins with… Day Sixteen.

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