for a little while now I’ve had these underwater images in my brain and have wanted to play with this same technique but using translucent impasto medium instead of gesso…. the challenge was that I was unsure on drying how opaque it would remain so the question was whether I added not enough or too much white to the mix…. the medium was delightful to work with, slower drying and with an excellent viscosity -I loved the way my knife glided across the canvas.
Relaxed – 18 x 30 Mixed Media on Canvas by Jennie Rosenbaum I’m using a new impasto surface instead of gesso and it’s really making a difference, sharper lines and I think it has a greater permanence as well…. I am going to be trying an acrylic impasto medium as well to play with translucency and so on. I’m really enjoying having the time and reason to dedicate to these white pieces…. This piece is a little different to my other white pieces but I think I am starting to get a feel for gravity, and for the new knife I am using after my old favorite met an unfortunate and untimely death..
Lunge – 30×40 Mixed Media on Canvas by Jennie Rosenbaum I admit to some trepidation starting out building up more works for this show, my last attempt at this technique was disastrous to say the least and I’ve had a little bit of a block since then…. sometimes you just have to tell the worries to shut up, put on some awesome music (oh yes, it was RENT again, it never fails to get me going!)… Apologies again for the bad photograph, I will take it again in the next few days in a few different locations to try to make the most of this appalling melbourne light.
the light is interesting and I’d like to play with the pose some more but there were elements that were a real struggle, especially on such a small surface that are probably marring my observation of this painting. usually when I’m a little too close to a piece, if I work at it rather than getting into a zen state, I find it hard to separate out the work from the finished product. and that isn’t to say that I don’t eventually fall in love with the pieces that took effort or that the zen pieces are better in some way, I just find it harder to distance myself from the pieces my mind was actually present for.
Rosy 12 x 12 Oils on Canvas by Jennie Rosenbaum I will be showing my paintings again this year in BSG’s Small Works exhibition. I would love to attend but apparently my newfound stair climbing prowess is still not good enough to tackle the enormous schlep on those stairs. I’d love to hear about the exhibition from others and to see photographs if anyone manages to get some!
Now, Liam has never liked the smell of turps anyway (the odorless is worse though, much worse for both of us) so it’s time something was done. I have enough poisons and problems with my system without adding further ones to the mix, I wanted to upgrade to better quality paints anyway so today I took the plunge and ordered some Windsor and Newton Artisan Oil Paints. these are legitimate oils in every sense, but the oil in them has been treated to accept water rather than repel it, meaning that they can be cleaned with soap and water.
Or I could mention the market fluxes such as the fact that Lucien Freud is huge in the market at the moment, that his works have been seeing a surge in prices in the past few years – but what I really want to talk about is the feel of this work and why it is actually beautiful rather than ugly…. he pointed out every flaw, every shred of humanity and forces us to acknowledge that – but to also see that that reality is what is beautiful, those flaws are what makes her a person and that as a person she is beautiful. he is saying look at this woman, she isn’t perfect, she has her flaws but she is a work of art – every person holds within them a work of art because we all have beauty.
I still think the blindfold is a little static but it is as ready as it’s going to be…. those who have seen it in person (before this stage) have all said that they don’t know if she jumped or was pushed but that it is free and frightening all at the same time…. I am probably as happy as I am going to be with the blindfold (knowing that I will never truly be satisfied there!)
This falling figure was working so well up till now, great motion, a horrible chaotic feeling and gravity, but I can’t get this damn blindfold to work properly! does anyone want to volunteer to be pushed off a building so I can photograph them and get the physics right? no, I think I am just going to have to tie my poor husband up, blindfold him and blow a hairdryer at the fabric until I can get it to work.
the glazed ochre works are going to be priced slightly higher than the regular ochre pieces because about a week’s more work goes into them. all pieces will now be on the same scale as well, before I had works on a sliding scale per inch depending on size, now all works of a certain medium are going to be the same price per inch all the way through. I am very nervous about this because you don’t want to change your pricing too often, but I think it is time to raise them slightly and to even out the pricing structure.
Jennie's Palette 