Visions of the Southwest Gifts for the Spider Woman By Margret E. Short, OPA, AWAM © 2012, 8x8 Oil on Panel Lessons from the Spider Woman, a pigment project by Margret E. Short American Women Artists, Visions of the Southwest Exhibition Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona November 3, 2012 through January 6, … [Read more...] about Gifts for the Spider Woman
Pigments: Historical and Modern
There is a distinct difference between modern day pigments and the natural pigments used prior to the middle of the 1700s. In the past, artists had apprentices who ground the colors for them throughout the oil painting sessions. Because they were made by hand, the pigments retained a natural grittiness and consistency with larger particle size. Today's oil paint manufacturers make synthetic colors in huge vats where the end result is exceptional smoothness. Prior to the middle of the 1700, natural pigments came from dirt, minerals, and even plants.
Offerings to the Spider Woman
Visions of the Southwest Exhibition Offerings to the Spider Woman By Margret E. Short, OPA, AWAM © 2012, 13x15 Oil on Linen, Lessons from the Spider Woman, a pigment project by Margret E. Short. American Women Artists Visions of the Southwest Exhibition Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona November 3, 2012 … [Read more...] about Offerings to the Spider Woman
Color Studies
Beads and Dogwood is a 6x6 study done with the color theme described in the previous post. If you will look closely, you can see how few color mixtures are in the composition. The background was toned with Graham burnt sienna then allowed to dry. Lots of smooshing and brushstrokes were left visible so as to give lots of character to the background … [Read more...] about Color Studies
Experiments
As you all have noticed over the years of following this blog, one of my most favorite thing to do is experiment with color mixtures. Often, in addition to making paints, I like to see what color makers are making. M. Graham makes several natural earth pigments that are really nice, astonishingly pigmented and very creamy. Two that are exceptional … [Read more...] about Experiments
Pots, Black on Black
Detail of black on black pottery in painting #2 Painting black on black pottery on canvas is tricky, in that, the darkest coolest black is quite dark and dense. For this I used ivory black with just a tiny addition of burnt umber dark to facilitate the drying. The Burnt Umber Dark from Cypress is the darkest I have found. As you remember, … [Read more...] about Pots, Black on Black
Maria Martinez Pottery
Painting #2 in the Lessons from the Spider Woman project is finished. This detail of the finished piece shows a snippet of the completed composition which includes more of Spider Woman's veil, a basket, pot, fetish, and chili peppers. It has been interesting composing with a Southwest Desert theme, especially because this topic is so foreign … [Read more...] about Maria Martinez Pottery