A Minor Attempt at Gestural Writing

I have been in envelope mode for ages. Even so, I have been anxious to try some of what I've learned in my past two workshops. What supplies were close at hand? Envelopes! A spoiled (but high quality) envelope netted this experiment. A little acrylic paint was brushed on. A little gesso over that and over the inked lettering on the envelope. Yves told us to consider first the composition of the overall piece - what would draw a person to come in for a closer look. My attempt unexpectedly took on a life of its own. To me it had a wintry look. The black ink yielded black tree trunks out of a white gesso snow and blue acrylic shadows. Had it not done so, I might have made a more Yves-looking piece. Instead I capitalized (no pun intended) on the wintry feeling. Yves said texture would draw a person in to look more closely. The gesso, brush strokes and tiny graphite lettering produced texture. He said the lettering should be small and perfect - only large enough to be read close-up. It's a different way to do calligraphy. I'm sure I did not do exactly what Yves would have done, but I am pleased with the result nonetheless. It's a paint, ink and gesso coated envelope. A fairly quick piece evocative of an early winter evening. I lettered in graphite pencil the Camus quote "In the midst of winter I found there was within me an invincible summer." I wanted to practice the gestural writing I'd attempted to learn so 'summer' is sort of gestural.





Until my next opportunity to play with it, this will have to do.

In the Midst of Winter

Started a couple of pieces today. Wasn't feeling very creative, so browsed some saved favorites which jump-started this one. Lots of small and large white lettering in the background for texture.



This one is acrylics on watercolor paper with gesso and inks (McCaffrey's Ivory and Moon Palace Sumi.)

I've signed up for an oil pastel workshop tomorrow. Hopefully it will make me feel creative before I have to return to work from this end of year vacation.