New series...April 2015

Me...at Resource Depot on Wednesday...looking for inspiration...thinking about those wood samples...

I had been planning on working with recycled materials for the month of April...making plans for about two months...already started squirreling away materials, scraps of this and that from my art friend Kianga and from my trips to Resource Depot in West Palm Beach.

And I was sure that was what I would do for my series...I thought my mind was made up.

But sometimes...I get side tracked...and that's how I figure out what my new focus will be.  See...my friend Kianga gave me a carload of treasures waaaaay back, I can't even remember how far back...several months ago I am sure.

One of the items in the 'haul' was a group of wood wall covering samples.  I tucked them away, knowing that at some point I would want to draw and paint on them. At first I thought I would do a few pieces on these samples and then move drawing/painting on discarded wall paper samples and maybe other surfaces, like old sheet music or even phone book pages.  But then I started that first drawing...and I loved the sound of my colored pencil on the paper, the feeling of it going over the wood grain...

...these paper-backed wood samples...my new obsession

And I thought about...my favorite wood worker, my father-in-law Raffaele, his commitment to creating is so inspiring...his 'shop' is always a flurry of activity, various projects in progress...specialty finishes...he is a bit of a mad scientist sometimes and it is pretty exciting to see what he comes up with.  I can't explain in words how excited he is about creating- it is his passion.  And I love that about him.  

Back in November of 2013 I attended a wood exhibit entitled 'Against the Grain' at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art. (click here for blog post) I went, knowing that Raffaele would love to see this show if he was in Florida...so it was like I had to see it for him...and I did...and it was amazing.  I don't know the first thing about wood construction and I will never be a woodworker...but the smell of the wood, the textures, the various differences in color...I can appreciate that- and I did.  I do.

I went home not long after seeing that exhibit, sent Raffaele a ton of pictures and then did my own drawing on a piece of wood...this was the drawing;

Colored Pencil and Watercolor on Wood, November 2013

So...without any additional rambling...here it is, the inspiration for my new series...inspired by wood...inspired by my favorite wood worker...the muses that are in each piece of wood, telling him, inspiring him to create.

And as for the name of the series...well, if you know Raffaele Gironda then...well, you KNOW ;)

April 2015 Series, 'Against the Grain'...first two pieces in the series...