Artist R.L. Gibson

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Artist R.L. Gibson

Tag: abstract expressionism

DAY 26: Whir

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

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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.

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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

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

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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.

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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.

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DAY 24: Slough

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"Slough" (5"x5 watercolour) by R.L. Gibson•

A month of painting is winding down. Or is it?  It is Day 24 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Slough” (watercolour, 5″x5″).  This piece began as a study of complementary and split complementary color layering, and ended feeling like a sloughing off of previous days’ works.  I have struggled with this 30 days of painting while trying to build a larger series of works.   Allowing myself to produce bad work is necessary to break the need for perfectionism, but producing bad work doesn’t get easier.  I have produced some real stinkers this week that I haven’t shared.  With the challenge coming to a close, I realize that these daily paintings have been the bright spot in a frustrating struggle with my other larger work.  Maybe this is the beginning, not the end.

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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. 

Should I end the 30 Days by sharing larger work?

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DAY 23: Pulse

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

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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″).

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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?

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DAY 22: Broadcast

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

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I can’t believe I’ve made it all the way to Day 22 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Broadcast” (acrylic on paper, 6″x6″).

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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 piece started as a technique study for a larger work.  I was testing my acrylic consistency for the alcohol disbursement, but I fell in love with the colors and forgot all about the bigger work, ha.  I am sort of in love with the pink, but it wasn’t intentional.  I got the pink when I was too impatient to let the cadmium red layer dry completely before adding the zinc white.  It is a beautiful accident.

Where should I go for day Twenty-Two?

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DAY 21: Bosky

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

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

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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

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

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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.

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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

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

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

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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.

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DAY 16: Spate

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

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It is Day 16 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge; my offering is “Spate” (acrylic on paper, 6″x6″).

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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 started painting today without intention or direction. After the initial layer of gesso, I unpinned the paper and didn’t even work from a specific orientation. It is very muted, a departure for me.  Tomorrow I need more color.  We’ll see.  I am concurrently working on a small body of work that experiments with representational versus abstract layers, and these daily works offer me an opportunity to experiment, like a skills lab, of sorts.  Join me.

Experiments will continue… on Day Seventeen.

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DAY 15: 140°

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

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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.

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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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