Playing with Texture...

The weather today did not permit me to bring my painting with me to class, and so I began another process working with brown paper and other materials.

I love the feel of different textures in artwork and like to create things that draw people in and make them want to feel the piece. With the idea of skin in my head, I began working. I crumpled up the paper and then began applying paint in various tones of gray, brown, and white. What resulted was something resembling a topographical map or animal hide. From here the creative process took over and I let go of any ideas I had about what this piece would be and just followed the artist drive. I began adding white tissue paper with gel medium and noticed that the result
reminded me of the white covering on a baby when they are born. However, I let this idea go and continued to work adding more paint and eventually copper wire that weaved in and out of the paper in swirl patterns.

Next, I became aware that the piece didn't look right and needed to be rearranged somehow. I decided to rip the piece into various shapes, then from the rubble, piece it back together through the slow, tedious, and sometimes painful process (I pricked my finger a few times) of sewing. What resulted was a completely different form and effect. Looking back now, I believe that this is so much like what the Lord does with the rubble of my life when I give things over to Him, and how I feel as I let him refine me. By the end of class I knew there was more that needed to be done, and I had a very hard time stopping the process.
I went home and continued to work, sewing felt pieces behind the holes and adding blue painted brown bags that had gone through the same process as the others. The piece isn't finished, but I got to a point of such frustration at not knowing what it needed that I had to walk away. All part of the process!