"Minerals and Metals" ~ Contemporary Textured Abstract by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

"Minerals and Metals"
12" x 16" Mixed Media on Ampersand cradled 2" deep Hardboard

I have wanted to experiment with some of the techniques I learned in the Carol Nelson class in Arvada, CO in March which was a very organized 2 day workshop with metals in mixed media. In the workshop we worked on small pieces of MDF board but I chose an Ampersand panel for this piece. Carol Nelson is an excellent instructor and has an active blog and a web site.
On the above painting, I added lots of textured grounds to the archival hardboard panel. I attached copper strips, collaged pieces of painted paper, Tyvek, and used acrylic tube and liquid colors along with some metallics.
This is as close as I can get to a landscape. I've tried painting realistic landscapes and I'm never happy with the results so until I can successfully paint a tree I'll continue with these highly textured pieces. Golden has so many interesting mediums and additives to choose from to add a textured ground to your contemporary abstracts and they give an added dimension to any landscape.
I've found another artist I really like that works with heavily textured applications. Jac Kephart has work in the Santa Fe Gallery, Deloney Newkirk Gallery. I've found one local gallery, The Edmund Craig, in Fort Worth that has a few pieces. I wrote to Mr. Kephart back in the spring to ask if ever gave a workshop as I'd love to study with him. He wrote that he'd been painting this style of abstracts for about 12 years and just didn't have the time to give workshops any more and felt the time left for painting was limited as he was 70 years old. I didn't tell him this month I'll celebrate my 75th birthday and I understand the pressure of time. He did invite me to visit him in Grand Junction sometime if I were in the neighborhood. He also shows his work in Breckenridge and Denver, CO. Jac enclosed 2 photos of some of his earlier landscape pieces which are beautiful but I find the newer abstracts so much more exciting.
Is there anyone in your art life you'd like to spend the day with, maybe in their studio watching them work? At this stage of my art life I would choose Jac Kephart. Maybe next week I'll be off wanting to learn something else but today I'd like to observe Jac making his mixed media paintings...just some senior citizens talking art and we won't even think about the time factor.

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Art Journaling Workshop “Love Your Life” with Nancy Standlee

Three Day November 6-8, 2010 Saturday, Sunday, Monday 9:30 – 4:30

The Upstairs Gallery

1038 W. Abram

Arlington, TX 76013

Contact: J. T. Martin 817 277-6961 to register or

info@upstairsartgallery.com