Art Paintings - Exploring the Artist Identity

By Cathy Condon

original photo pulled from blog.sketchbookproject.com

In this article, I have outlined the experiential processes of art paintings; the processes of dialogue and the processes of reflection or witness. These processes are taken from my own personal research into my artist identity and the findings have greatly informed my practice. This account forms a guide to those artists who wish to delve into their artist identity or those interested in exploring art painting processes.
 
Art Paintings Processes

The painting processes in this research endeavour to study the artist identity of the artist through the exploration of consciousness. The basic components of what; where, when; how and why they take place will be described in the following applications, which form a personal account.
 
These processes have been chosen instead of other media because of the quality of paint's immediate and fluid response. Despite a background in ceramics, art paintings is where my passion lies.
Processes
 
What the Art Paintings Will Comprise

In my exploration, six art paintings will be undertaken. These will be abstract art paintings and figurative paintings. I will use alternative surfaces. The paintings will include canvases stretched professionally with concrete underlay (thick black plastic).
 
The dimensions of each art painting will be uniform: 120 x 70x 5 cm. The media used will include oil paint, enamel, oil sticks, Black Japan stain, shellac, pastel, charcoal and ink. The primary artistic focus in this process will lie in the use of alternative materials in painting and in the use of alternative surfaces. Boundaries may be intentionally pushed through the use of construction materials to create aesthetics on surfaces not intended for this purpose.
 
When the Painting Will Take Place

The proposed plan involves painting every second Tuesday and every Thursday for a period of six weeks. This art painting will occur at night in two to three hourly timeslots.
 
Where They Will Take Place

The space will consist of a studio set-up in a lock-up garage. For the purposes of the research, the computer and reference materials will be set up on one side of a garage space, and the work bench with art painting materials on the other. I plan to be able to move quickly and freely between both.
 
How They Will Occur

The intention is to include a timetable of art painting processes, which will consist of certain times in the following months. Ideas of setting a limit on the painting time have been considered.
 
Dialogue with Art Paintings

The personal dialogue processes approached in this research combine elements of Heuristic research, but allow for an individual account.

These processes are based on the internal search mechanisms present within the creative-self processes The processes relate to a conversation or dialogue that takes place between the researcher, artist and a higher consciousness of either the self, an artwork or other object studied closely. Many artists and art therapists have utilized these methods in their research and inquiry.
 
Why the Dialogue Will be Undertaken in This Manner

The dialogue process is intended to provide a different level of consciousness. It is anticipated that I will connect with my art paintings through the processes of dialogue. The dialogue may inform me on levels unavailable to me experientially.
 
What the Dialogue Will Comprise

This process is intended to encompass a journey into art painting. The aim is to literally enter into the art paintings through passages of different levels of consciousness. In order to make the space available to connect with these other levels of consciousness, the following will be utilized: indwelling; a search of the self through thought; meditation and contemplation. The insights may come through hearing the words in my mind, intuition, or new concepts emerging from or into internal frames of reference.
 
Where the Dialogue Will Take Place
This process is an internal one, while the external and inter-objective realities in my surroundings may have bearing on the internal mechanisms. The proposed dialogue will occur in the studio space designated for writing this research. The set-up of the computer on one side and the art paintings on the other is intentionally designed towards easy access to writing when dialogue occurs.
 
When the Dialogue Will Take Place
The method of dialogue within this research will be approached using a lack of structured timetable or schedule. As I have not attempted this process before, I am unsure of whether it will be able to fit into a time-frame. I am unsure of whether I can summon dialogue at will; or whether it will emerge in an indiscriminate manner.
 
How the Dialogue Will Occur

This is largely unable to be determined at this point in time. There is a commitment to a total immersion in the processes of this inquiry and it is likely that the dialogue will naturally emerge from the art paintings through channels due to the immersion process. It is anticipated that the creation of the unique personal space for communication with my art paintings will reveal and allow for documentation of how the process occurs.
 
Reflection on Art Paintings
 
Why the Reflection Will be Undertaken in This Manner
 
The reflection process formulates the basis for the intimate connectivity of the processes of art paintings and dialogue. It forms the fabric from which the evaluation cloth is cut. The sacred witness will allow the space and time to measure the experience and to dwell on the emergence of new information.
 
The reflection process aims to draw the art paintings and dialogue processes together and provide the stand-back viewpoint, indispensable to making art paintings and primordial self- inquiry.
 
What the Reflection Will Comprise

The reflection process in this research will comprise transpersonal processes as a method of self-inquiry. It will evoke notions of the witness. These reflection processes will present a unique witness account of the experience of art painting, the dialogue experience and the overall experiences.
 
The observations of thoughts, emotions, dreams, dialogue and art painting processes provide the foundation from which to evaluate the personal interior experience.  
 
Where the Reflection Will Take Place

The reflection is anticipated to take place within the transpersonal self -this being wherever the art paintings and dialogue processes are taking place. They may take place in other areas of life, such as times of driving, walking, meditating and working.
 
When the Reflection Will Take Place

Much like the whereabouts of the reflection processes, the time-frame of this process encompasses all other processes in this research. It is predictable that I will bear witness to my art paintings and my dialogue processes. The witness will be present when I make the connective leaps in consciousness and when the intellectual synapses jump into action. Thus, the internal observer will have to be on duty at all times, knitting the components of my processes together. These observations can then be evaluated into a unified and presentable critique.
 
How the Reflection Will Occur

The reflection processes aim to transcend the art paintings and dialogue states of consciousness. Reflection is anticipated to occur through the watchful gaze of the transpersonal witness. I will endeavour to consciously manifest the witness during times of art painting and dialogue. This will involve dis-identifying with the art paintings and dialogue processes.
 
Findings of the Exploration Into the Artist Identity
The basic components of why, what, where, when and how investigated in the art paintings and dialogue and reflection applications can be located in the art paintings themselves and in some of the text and explanation of each of the art paintings on the website.
About the Artist: Cathy Condon is an Australian artist based in the UK and Europe who works primarily in an abstract style. Her blog, http://www.catharticgallery.com chronicles her life as a traveling and working artist in the world and her day-to-day influences and impressions.
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Panel Painting - The Everlasting Beauty and Appeal

By Annette Labedzki

Panel Painting - The Concept

A panel painting is an artistic creation executed on a rigid base, generally metal or wood, instead of canvas. The wood base can be a single piece or in multiple interconnected pieces. This style was quite popular before the advent of canvas in the mid sixteenth century. Several types of woods, like cedar, beech, fir, chestnut, olive, dark walnut, mahogany, teak, and linden were used as base for panel painting.

The History

An ancient concept, panel paintings were famous in Rome and Greece and had a significant place in the Byzantine Empire. They again gained prominence mostly as altarpieces, in Western Europe in the late 12th century. In the Italian history, the 13th and 14th centuries are considered as the 'Golden Age' of panel painting. By the 15th century, the style graduated to furniture. Altar fronts, dossals (an embellished cloth hanging behind an altar), crucifixes, encaustic, and tempera were some of its different forms. A large majority of Early Netherlandish paintings, including most of the earliest portraits are made on panels. Parallel to it, by the start of the 15th century, gradually oil painting was discovered and soon gained prominence, especially so in Italy (16th century). Multi-layered painting techniques were soon put to use. By the eighteenth century, panel was nearly phased out.

The Details

Panel construction and painting was a meticulous and strenuous process. Solid wooden panels were coated with a mix of glues made from animal skins. Some layers of Gesso were then applied until a hard smooth surface appeared. Once the panel was fully constructed, the design was made generally using charcoal. Painting was done using small brushes dipped in a solution of egg yolk and pigment. The strokes had to be perfect and small, as this paint medium was a fast drying one.

The Artworks

Some of the most popular Panel paintings include:

o Painted tablets series from Pitsa, Greece (6th century BC) - the oldest surviving Greek panel
o Fayum mummy portraits, Egypt (1st century BC-3rd Century AD)
o The Severan Tondo, Egypt (about 200AD) - Graeco-Roman specimen
o Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt (5th or 6th centuries)
o The Ghent Altarpiece
o St. Basil
o Tabernacle
o Adoration of the Lamb
o The Frankfurt Paradiesgärtlein
o Russian icon by Andrey Rublev
o Triptych
o Saints Geminianus, Michael and Augustine, with angels above
The Artists
Jan van Eyck (Dutch, 1395-1441), Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452-1519), Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528), Lucas Cranach the Elder (German, 1472-1553), Hans Baldung Grien (German, 1480-1545), Albrecht Altdorfer (German, 1480-1538) Hans Holbein (German, 1497-1543), Christoph Amberger (1505-62), Adam Elsheimer (German, 1578-1610), Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606-69)

Conclusion

While modern technical tools and X- Radiography have enabled the understanding of the various techniques used in panel paintings, there are still several areas left unexplored. This fact continues to stimulate considerable interest and further research by art historians in the field. A multi-year project called the Panel Paintings Initiative has been started in collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. Please visit the website at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited.
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Sectional Canvas & Sectional Oil Paintings For Sale

Are You looking for Sectional Canvas Paintings, Sectional Oil Paintings or Wall Art? Look no further, Art Addiction is the hottest new retailer for Section Wall Art. Visit http://www.artaddiction.biz/Sectional-Oil-Paintings-Sectional-Wall-Art-s/47.htm for more details.

These paintings can really create a spectacular look or feel to any room with Art Addiction Co's exquisite, completely hand crafted Sectional Oil Paintings & Sectional Wall Art for sale that are sure to add that flare of life you've been looking for. Depicting scenes of music, nature, abstract art, figure art and more, you can find more unique ways to arrange them creating an individual feel each time.

Contemporary Art - The Importance in Today's World

By Sam D'costa

Contemporary art has gained a lot of importance in modern households. It has become one of the most sought after household items and it has been recognized in every aspect of human life. Modern art is nowadays a tool for interpersonal communication and has far reaching effects. The increased number of persons visiting exhibitions and art galleries clearly signifies the rise in contemporary art importance. It is an indicator about the awareness of art amongst the people.

Large appreciation of masses and easy understandability are the main reasons of success of modern art. The accessibility of these arts are easy as it is released in numerous copies and forms like disks, e-books etc. Original paintings, which were hard to get in the old days, are now easy accessible through art galleries, which eventually increased the number of admirers of modern art.

However, contemporary art critics raised an argument that some arts should be reserved for certain group of people. They argued that true appreciation of art can come from people who can understand modern art. In other words, only an artist can understand the value of an art. It is true in some cases, but an artist would like to get appreciation from as many people as possible. Contemporary art will continue to express publicly understood ideas so as to get the maximum appreciation from the public.

There are various ways of acquiring modern art today. Online auctions are one of the ways where by abstract arts, oil-based painting, and impression arts can be purchased. But before you make a purchase, it is important that you do some homework on what art you would like to collect. One way of collecting required information is to make extensive research work in the internet. Other sources include libraries, magazines etc. which can give you your desired information on art.

But you have to be careful when buying a contemporary art work as there are lots of fakes in the market. But you can appoint an appraiser for the art you want to purchase. Online art auctions generally keep a track record of the art seller's sales history and can help you determine whether the seller is a reputable person.
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Tips For Buying Contemporary Fine Art

By Kathleen Chester

The scene of contemporary fine art is a strong, vibrant one, with dynamic fairs in cities all across the world and numerous dazzling exhibitions in famous galleries and museums. Yet if what you really want is actually to find a piece of art that you love enough to buy, it is worth turning to the internet and seeking out the help of one of the many contemporary fine art online stores. There are reputable galleries on the web that buy and sell artwork, and finding one of these will give you access to the original works of reputable contemporary artists.

Art often becomes increasingly valuable over time and therefore, investing in a collection of contemporary fine art is sometimes seen as a feasible option as a long term investment. Moreover, original paintings that are rare, valuable and collectible can be hung up as a sophisticated piece of decoration in your home or office, enhancing the look of the rooms and helping set a different mood altogether in the room.

When considering contemporary fine art, you may want to look at abstract sketches and designs, or perhaps at more traditional, figurative pieces. There is so much variety and richness in the world of modern art, that you are bound to be able to find something that looks right for your wall. You should choose a piece of art that suits your personal tastes and style, and which will reflect that part of you to your visitors. Some people also prefer to focus on works which they feel will have conversational value later on, or which bring back good memories when they look at them. Modern art has engaging characteristics and you can imagine and interpret its meaning in thousands of different ways. It is therefore crucial to put considerable thought into choosing the right piece for you.

There are also practical considerations to be taken into account when buying art, such as the importance of working with an authentic online store or gallery which sells only genuinely original works. It is highly advisable to learn about the dealer's reputation from independent review sites and client testimonials before buying artifacts and paintings from them. Before dealing with the store, you should glance at the collection of works they stock and examine the reputation of the painters whose works are displayed. Generally a good store offers navigation to the artists' personal websites through which you can form an idea of the lives, careers, works, and reputations of the artists.

If you are looking for an example of such an online site, which would offer you great works from authentic artists, you should visit Art-mine.com. Apart from having a large gallery of works of art, this site works exclusively with professional, gallery-represented artists who produce entirely original works. Have a look yourself!

Original Fine Art for Sale by Agora Gallery, New York. Buy Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor Contemporary Paintings, Photography, Sculptures and More from Emerging and Established Artists.
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Tips To Frame An Oil Painting

Oil paintings framing can be really expensive if there are framed by professionals which can really add up to your cost of your purchase. Professional framers have great experience in choosing the right frames that match the exact architectural piece and the framing process can be a time consuming task and not everyone would be willing to spend money on this task. However framing the oil painting is an important task but there is no requirement that you need to pour loads of money on this tedious task.  You can frame your art painting by yourself with a frame for a cost effective result that will give you satisfactorily results as well. This article will help you in crafting an amazing frame for your painting.

Choosing the apt frame   Visit a store nearby and look in for a frame and browse for your backless frames.  Search a frame that fits the dimensions of your painting. Be sure that you search the frame whose inner dimensions match with the dimensions of your frame.  Select a frame that doesnt distract the art but matches the feel. While choosing the frame you also need to keep in mind that you do not spoilt the interior dcor of your paintings. Simple, flat, black or brown frames can suit any style of painting nicely. Metallic frames with ornate carvings can be held for traditional paintings such as portraits, landscapes and still lifes.  Check your frame along with your painting and check if they both blend well together.

Also, Check out the video on how to frame an oil painting:

Framing process  Place the frame inverted on a clean place.  Put in the painting through the opening from the back portion of the frame   Enclose one offset clip on each side of the frame it can be placed either at the top and bottom sides and then you need to screw the clip using size two screws.  Fasten a strap hanger in each side of the frame, 1/3 of the way down; using the two sizes eight screws. Do not constrict the screws all the way; allow the screws to rotate freely.  Slide one end of the hanging wire into one of the strap hangers and wrap the end around it for five to six times.  Insert the wire into the strap hanger, leaving a little bit of space. Then wrap the end following the same procedure as the first one.  Hang your painting on to a screw with the hanging wire.

Thus the framing of your painting is done with considerable ease and without causing a considerable pinch on your pocket.  

MODERN ART NOTES

Due to circumstances beyond my control and for the first time since I started the site in 2001, Modern Art Notes is on hiatus. For updates on the status of this site, please follow me on Twitter.

The Modern Art Notes Podcast, which is an independent production of Modern Art Notes Media, will continue via the usual outlets: On MANPodcast.com, iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and viaRSS feed. As always, new programs become available each Thursday at noon EDT.

I hope to see many of you in New York on May 12.

[Image: Guillaume-Benjamin-Armand Duchenne de Boulogne and Adrien Tournachon, Figure 20: Profound suffering with resignation from the album "The Mechanism of Human Facial Expression," 1854-56, printed 1862. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.]

Original Post by: http://blogs.artinfo.com/modernartnotes/2014/05/modern-art-notes-is-on-hiatus/