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No. 11 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist – Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyright protected.JPG

No. 13 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyright protected

INTRODUCTION

This abstract painting No. 61 titled ‘Sweet Dreams’ as shown below is part of my abstract painting portfolio.  I mostly paint for myself and give little thought to pleasing others when it comes to colour, form and subject matter during the creation of my paintings.  It is a deeply personal process I use to manage my anxiety and depression.  This form of art therapy along with creative writing processes, such as the painting story formation, really does help me maintain a good sense wellbeing.

PAINTING DETAILS

Painting No. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas 100cms Length x 100cms Wide x 3cms Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson NB All images are protected by copyright .JPG

• Painting No. 61 Titled:  ‘Sweet Dreams’
• Acrylic on Canvas
• 100cms Length x 100cms Wide x 3cms Deep
• February 2015
• Abstract Artist – Karen Robinson

PAINTING STORY – ‘Sweet Dreams’

Writing the painting story is always, an important part of my art for therapy journey.

This painting was inspired by a conversation that I had with my sister.  She was talking about an ambition, a goal, a dream she wanted to achieve in her life.  It got me thinking about the dreams I have had and wanted to come true in my life.  How some of my dreams/desires have eventuated and how others have gone ‘belly up” hence one of the fish, in the painting is featured in such a way ‘belly up’, just above my signature!  We all need dreams that we work towards achieving.  Dreams where anything seems possible.  My sister’s dream was cemented in an image of a sea merchant and fish, and the love of the ocean.  I took that thought, that image and created my own dream like image – being a Frenchman, perhaps a simple fisherman with a red beret and stripped T-shirt, handkerchief tied around his neck, dark mediterranean skin, swirly whiskers, and deep blue eyes.  My fisherman is enjoying the warm seas where delightful, colourful fish reside and frolic playfully with each other.  They have ruby-red lips, golden faces and colourful jewel like scales. They are almost flirting with the fisherman in my painting.  At the top of the painting – is a hot summer sun, reaching out over mother earth and a deep blue sky reaching back into the heavens.  Throughout the painting are silver frosted waves that gentle move across the pretty blue waters – magically twinkling.  I called this painting ‘sweet dreams’ as it reminded me of the times I would say to my children when they were very little, just after they were tucked into their beds at night and just after giving them a kiss on the forehead – ‘sweet dreams’…

Written by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist 2014

No. 20 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyrigh.JPG

No. 23 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyrigh.JPG

No. 21 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyrigh.JPG

No. 22 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyrigh.JPG

No. 24 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyrigh.JPG

PAINTING PROCESS – FROM THE SKETCH TO A FINISHED PAINTING SLIDE-SHOW

My painting process starts with a conception as described above.  With this concept, I pencil sketch onto my canvas, the outline.  Then I paint, one colour at a time on the canvas, allowing each colour to dry throughly, before starting with another colour.  Once the entire sketch on the canvas has been painted, with a single layer of Matisse acrylic paint, I repeat the process another two times, to obtain a richness of each colour.  For this particular painting, once all the layers of acrylic paint had been applied and were dry, I decided to use a ‘dry medium’ called ‘mica flakes‘ on part of the waving – it may look like silver or grey in the photo but in real life it glitters/sparkles – makes the painting ‘dream like’.  After applying the ‘mica flakes’ I allowed it to dry throughly and then signed and dated the painting.  I also turned my painting over and put all the relevant details on the back of the canvas.  I then spray varnished it three times which gave it a nice shine.  In order to keep track of my work, I photographed the painting, wrote the painting story, printed it off and put a hard copy in my art portfolio folder and then wrote this blog.  Quiet a process!  Below is a slide-show showing some of these stages for this painting.

No. 15 – Stages of Painting Process with Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist -Painting no. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Feb 2015 – Acrylic on Canvas NB All images are copyright protected.JPG

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CONCLUSION

It has been an amazing journey using art, storytelling, and photo taking over recent years and blogging has added a new dimension to my art for therapy processes. I hope by sharing here within my weblog, will help you find your voice.  Happy painting, story-telling and photo-taking and/or just plain good living for 2015….Karen

NB:  To view my Abstract Painting Gallery, please click here. Whilst you are here – please check out my home page! 

My Art Therapy Journey – A window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy and storytelling…by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker