Surface - S: One of an edition of 26, each one-of-a-kind

I was so pleased with the results and the reception of the limited edition piece I did to celebrate the new year: Peace Walk, that I decided to create a new edition to celebrate the coming of spring.

This time, instead of creating multiples of the same image, I created 26, similar, but different works.

Introducing Surface!

Each work begins with an archival inkjet print that is laminated to a panel. Several layers of acrylic medium are added to enhance the surface. Next, each piece is embellished with little pieces that have been hand cut from the original print. Every print is then silk-screened two times, each separated by several layers of medium. Hand painting is added to give each piece another layer of detail and additional depth. A final coat of medium, a signature and date complete each work.

Sixteen of these little darlings are gone — but ten more are available. Let me know if you’d like me to reserve one (or more) for you.

The edition in progress

Surface A — Z

5″ x  5″ mixed media on panel

Each piece is signed on the front and signed and numbered on the back.

Each work comes with a display easel.

$200. each

These are the available works *(the letters are not on the actual work)

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Ignoring my sweet blog, ignoring chores — my determination to refill the coffers with big, glorious paintings, has kept me busy. Rather than write about it, I think I’ll share some studio shots of my work in progress.

I've started so many paintings with the intention of limiting my palette to shades of white…

… as you can see, color seduces me every time!

These two started out so similar…

… now they're heading in different directions. We'll see where they end up!

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Calcifer, mixed media on panel, 10 x 10 inches ©2009

I really have been up to things, while ignoring my beloved blog. Painting, jewelry making, painting, shows, painting, sales, painting and painting.

So, as proof of the “painting” part — I present these three little gems; Calcifer, Glowlightly and Razz.

These brand-spanking-new paintings are available as prints in my Etsy shop, just in time to warm up your holidays!

Glowlightly, mixed media on panel, 12 x 12 inches ©2009

Razz, mixed media on panel, 12 x 12 inches ©2009

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Fun with layers: 1.painting, 2.many cut out branches, 3.the tracing paper drawing of the branches

The very monotonous process of cutting these suckers out

Don't even get me started with Photoshop filters!

More fun with Photoshop

It never fails. Just when you’re busy with all sorts of stuff that you should be posting on daily, you don’t because you’re too busy doing cool stuff!

My family and I just got back from a vacation at Walt Disney World, the kids just started school, I’m trying to finish a studio full of paintings for myriad show coming up this fall and now I’m headed off to Boston for the long weekend.

So, I thought I’d leave you with a few shots that I took in my studio recently. I’ve been doing a lot with branch forms, and I thought they made such lovely designs when they were all stacked on top of each other.

Have a wonderful weekend, and I promise — next week many posts!

xo

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So here’s another peek at what I’ve got going on!

After my wonderful Fellowship at the Brodsky Center; I was left with more than a head-full of exciting ideas, new friends and wet clothes. I also received 10 of the 30 editioned pieces of Hush my glorious collaboration with papermakers Lisa Switalski and Anne McKeown.

Hush Redux - in progress

Hush - Paper pulp

I was also given all the proofs that didn’t quite make the grade. Of course, as a collage artist I’m not going to get rid of any of those delicious bits! So I thought I’d share with you the beginning of this new painting I’m doing, using the scraps from Hush as a base. I’m not sure where I’ll be taking it from here, but I’ll keep you updated as it progresses!

Also, I’ve included a shot of the very start of the piece I’m doing with the shadows that I mentioned in the previous post.

Layers to go before I sleep, layers to go before I sleep!

The first layer of shadows

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One of my latest obsessions in the studio is trying to capture the effects of shadows.

I had this painting of a tree trunk and it’s roots (another obsession.) After cutting the whole thing out, to use in a painting, I decided take some snap-shots of the cool shadows that the twining branches created on the wall.

I was at my new studio, which is still not fully equipped yet, so I had no way of hanging the roots, and only the lousy camera on my iphone. So I held the roots in one hand and the camera (with no flash) in the other. Not perfect, but interesting.

We’ll see how they enter into my future painting!

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Lest I forget, the big stuff.

And the medium stuff, and all the paintings that I toil over daily that are not “small.”

I’ve kind of been in a “Santa’s workshop” mode lately, trying to get all these smalls finished for the holidays. So, as I finish the little buggers off and clear some space in my studio and in my head, my attention turns to my old familiar friends.

Right now I have about 20 paintings that are in various sizes and various stages of completeness. If you know me, you know that’s how I work: lots of stuff going at once. I like to let things simmer and settle while working on something else. Twenty is a lot, though. I better get back to the studio!

Tonight I’m posting a new small painting on my Etsy shop. This one goes out to all you guys out there, it’s a rock and roll kind of painting, it’s call Little Bone Machine. Check it out!

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Stardance I ©Tobin

I’ve been disciplining myself lately to work faster, on small studies that experiment with new techniques. Normally, my work is so labor-intensive and takes so long to complete that I thought these “smalls” would let me grow as an artist.

Well, the really cool surprise for me has been how much fun I’ve been having with these little guys! I find they’re great to to try out stuff that would normally take too long on a much bigger piece, and I can work so fast! So they really have been helpful in my larger work, too. Yeah!

And they also give me a chance to sell some work at a lower price. I can take year on a big piece, so I have to charge accordingly … But I figured these little studies could sell much more cheaply.

My Little Ones incubating

When I set out on this project, the idea was to keep the cost for each little cutie under a hundred bucks. Now, I must say I ended up doing my usual obsessing over them (which I wasn’t supposed to do), so I spent way more time on them than originally planned. But, I’m going to stick with the price plan (for the holidays at least.) If you follow my work, you know THIS IS A DANG GOOD DEAL!!! Not to mention, free shipping for the holidays in the continental US. (Lordy, lordy, what will that girl do next?)

So hop, skip, or just click the link over there on the right to my Etsy shop to start gettin’ those deals!

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