Two Paintings of the Series (Montana and Utah inspired)

These two painting reflect two amazing places that both gave me great inspiration in what I want my painting to go towards. It made me want to create surreal landscapes that I have seen and experienced that I could not believe were real to see in person. Then combine it with my new love for sacred geometry and the meaning and symbolism behind it. The colors and landscapes go with the experience I had at both places relaxing blues and greens in Montana that were surreal to even see with so many bright blues and greens everywhere. Then Utah that was intense with canyons and red rocks everywhere. The desert was hot intense and beautiful at the same time. Truly felt like I was on mars and  in a Dali painting. That journey I took I will never forget and it has given me the inspiration to do these paintings and more in the future. These paintings were also a journey of trying something new and challenging with going more detailed with my art and using patterns to fit with my imagery. I wanted to work on my craftsmanship as well as combining the old artist with the new artist I am becoming. These paintings have helped me explore and develop my skills which has helped push my boundaries and try new things. I am going to keep exploring more with this style and continue to challenge myself with new obstacles.

Unknown Title (for now)

Here are some paintings from Amanda Sage that have inspired me especially using the oval in the middle to create another world such as I am doing in my two paintings creating a visual to another world.

Unknown

Oil, Acrylic, Casein

Close up on montana Lake

Toroid Pattern

This is the final touches on the circle painting of the experience I had in Montana and seeing this crazy beautiful lake. One of my best friends showed me this magical place in Montana and ever since then has brought me inspiration. The white on this is not as intense to provide the more water flow relaxed feel I had in Montana. It was all very beautiful and relax nice bright colors everywhere and thats what I wanted this painting to reflect is that emotion I felt during this time at this lake. Amanda Sages art was introduced to me by Jack Shure and she in my opinion is one the best Female artist out there and hopefully will have the opportunity one day to meet her and possibly paint with her. She is definitely a master in the visionary art world and her paintings have been inspiring to me lately.

Working on the background

I didn't look at any particular artist for the mandala just some older designs and also different mandala designs I found that inspired me.

Start of the background

Close-up

Mandala and circle started

Mandala is formed

The next step was adding the whites to the background and adding a mandala around the the circle that would fit as simple but still complex almost looking like some different types of stone work. This mandala also had to fit with the toroid pattern in the background as well. Mandala art has always been inspiring for me even at a young age, I really like how everything can just build off of each other from this circle, forming different patterns. I looked at past drawing I did of mandalas and other mandala symbols to figure out a good simple but still complex design that didn't take to much away from the circle.

Progress

This is a piece by Jim Warren that inspired my color scheme and also introduced me to a new surreal artist that I really like. I am excited to explore more of Jim Warrens art.

circle of Montana Lake 

close-up on water drops

I finished the circle into the next realm and it took me a little longer than the Triangle because I was unsure about the color scheme. Colors can be tricky for me sometimes because I am red and green colored blind. I started looking for new surreal artist for inspiration and found Jim Warren which helped me along the way for this circle. I ran into a couple stop sign during this painting a couple in particular was making sure the water drops didn't blend to much in with the background blue also the color of the frame. I needed the frame to stand out but not to drastic, so I chose a gold look to make the frame fit with the greens and blues that where in the painting.  

Second painting Progress

This is some of Claire Ray's art work who I met this summer and introduced me to that great toroid design and also found out that me and her have the same birthday and born a minute apart but also a couple years apart to, we thought it was interesting. It was great meeting her and seeing a different style of art with sacred geometry in it. These two paintings in particular inspired me during this painting. 

Live Painting in the living room at thanksgiving to Football! Thankful for painting

In the second painting of the series I wanted to ad another geometric pattern to that would fit the circle, so I went with the toroid design, which I learned how to draw from another artist this summer Claire Ray. This was a treat to finally learn how to use this pattern I always wanted to know how it was created and getting to learn it first hand was awesome. This is meant to bring the nature with design such as The Sacred Triangle. Again I did the pattern with a white charcoal pencil first and then will go from there with the pattern.

The Sacred Triangle

This painting recently done by Jack Shure for the Androcell album is a big inspiration that gave me some ideas for this painting and my other one in this series.

The Sacred Triangle

Oil Paints, Acrylic, Casein

The Grid close up

Close- up off triangle

Detail- shot

This is the final touches of the Sacred Triangle painting. It has been a great challenge and break through for me doing this painting. This painting has been to a lot of different places and a lot of people seen it and have influenced it and that is how this got developed. This was based of a journey of exploration going cross country camping in Utah and this painting became it's own journey in trying to find a balance between my old and new style. Also trying to work on my craftsmanship more get more surreal with my paintings add some symbolism to help explain my experiences. This painting went to a lot places to develop and a lot of research with combining different techniques and styles into one cohesive painting. 

Live Painting Inspiration

I have had the pleasure of meeting and painting with Emily Kell Before and she is an amazing artist and  an even better person. Her art has been very inspirational for me since I first saw it when I my friend Steven Teller showed me. Steven Teller is another amazing artist and friend who went to SCAD with Emily. Her work with the transparency white is amazing and has been some inspiration for this painting.

1904 music hall

1904 Music hall

1904 music Hall

The Roots, Bear Creek Music Festival 2013

Bonobo Live Band, Bear Creek 2013

Bonobo Live Band, Bear Creek Music Festival 2013

One of my favorite things to do is live paint at different music events. It has such an incredible amount of energy between you, the painting, the band on stage, and the crowd especially around you. Also painting next to other amazing painters that can put there feed back and two cents in what they think about it. This is how I came up with the Idea of adding a glow to the pattern in the background to add as if the triangle was illuminating of the canvas. This amazing artist Emily Kell who I have painted with a couple times at Suwanee Music Park gave me this advice while setting up to paint at Bonobo Live Band. I went for it and it slowly but surely was coming together. This painting eventually was painted at couple shows such as The Roots, Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk, and in Jacksonville at 1904 music hall. This adds more of a connection for me and the crowd because they watch all weekend as the panting develops more an more each day and gets shared with a big audience.

Adding the Grid

Kris Davidson an Athens artist who has inspired me since high school with his pattern work and sacred geometry skills has always been an element I wanted to add in my art work. After getting a tattoo from him I got to see first hand and ask questions just how he does this work. Ever since then I have been working on integrating geometric pattern in to my work.

I added a grid that is designed out of hexagons to create different triangles to connect the pattern with the triangle. I used a white charcoal pencil to outline it first and will go from there. The developments that are happening is adding a to create something simple looking but still has a complex feel to it. My thoughts about adding the grid is to create what is around us even though we cant see it. The grid is all around I am bringing out to you in the painting and showing how it connects with nature. It is combining both design and nature in one thing which intrigues me as an artist natural design.

Progress

These two Dali paintings are were inspiration for the triangle. How the clocks are melting off of things and the color scheme of he used for the desert gave me inspiration for my colors.   

Close-up on red 

I added the finishing touches on the Triangle that is entering the next realm. Some developments that have been happening in this painting are adding the water and the half moon with lotus flower above. The lotus flower is representing the rebirth of myself during this cross country trip I took and found a lot of inspiration in Utah especially how water used to be everywhere there. I was questioning how to do the water and make it look as if it realistic but still have the surreal feel to it. This triangle has helped me expand my color palette and learn to trust my decisions I make instead of dwelling on what it might look like.