Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Mixed Media Portraits







I came to the
Mixed Media party
quite late..
by way of fine arts..
I had worked
with acrylics, watercolor and colored pencil..
all my life..

No literally.. all my life..
my father said I was born with a pencil in my hand, but it was probably
that as a baby and toddler,
 I was fascinated with his pens and mechanical pencils in his pocket protector..
he was an aeronautical engineer..
and he taught me so much about art..
and seeing..
as I look back on what he taught me, 
it was truly invaluable..



Caterina Giglio, The Rain Makes My Hair Curl, Mixed Media Painting



but 
 mixed media
saved my art life..

I was really ready to give up 
when I took a book making class..
and 
suddenly a light went on in my head...
and a new passion was developed..

art can be like that...

mixing media changed the way I perceived painting..



Detail, Caterina Giglio, The Rain Makes My Hair Curl, Mixed Media Painting, 16 x 20


Recently..
in the past couple of years I began painting
again..
slowly
and then one day

I decided to go back to portraiture.. since it had been something I found
not only engrossing, but challenging..

I was looking through my friend, Gina's selfies and I was 
immediately struck by the range of emotion that she conveyed..
so beautifully..

so I painted this first one below..





Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting, 12 x 16, That Rat Bastard!


I see the goddess in everywoman as I paint her,
and a range of emotions that we all share..





Caterina Giglio, Mixed Media Painting

I have just recently finished the large piece which is 16 x 20 on cradled board
and it took me a good year to complete
in between so many other works..


I will add at least one or two more portraits of Gina..
as she is a lovely muse..



A few days ago,
dear reader,
 I began to paint a portrait of another friend..
her name is Ella,
and she is so photogenic...

the image below is right after I had knocked out the rough painting..
This is not a finished piece, 
but a work in Progress...





A Portrait of Ella, Caterina Giglio, work in progress




As you can see, the color is more defined and I am getting closer to finishing
the work..





A Portrait of Ella, Work in Progress, Caterina Giglio



of course I will share the finished work with you as soon as I am done..
They are all on cradled boards and Ella's portrait is 11 x 14..


and in the spare time..
I am working on my new video this week
on Journal Prompts..
and I will have my art journal pages ready to share next 
Tuesday..


until then..
thank you as always for your kind attention..
I so appreciate you all..


Ciao, ciao!