Blog

If you’re like me your studio is your sanctuary and sacred space. It is a place of a growing portfolio, a visual diary of your life’s work rotated on the walls to represent how far you’ve come. My studio wall also has my old student ID taped to it to remind me to keep going.

Meanwhile, over the years canvas/painting rejects can add up. It finally hit me, before planning the reject pile bonfire, gesso over them, recycle and reuse to give them (and me) a second chance. I did this for the first time in 2023 on a large canvas where all I could see was everything wrong in the painting, or on the positive side everything I’ve learned.

There is freedom in this process, the stress of overthinking an artwork on a newer expensive canvas is gone. Lather on gesso thick or thin, smooth or textured layers, then challenge yourself. A welcome discovery is that gesso can be applied as smooth as a fresco, as if painting on an ancient plastered Italian wall. Invite mistakes, oh the beauty and freedom in perfect imperfections! Play, have fun, experiment, test color or try a new subject matter. People can see it and feel it in our artwork, something I continue to remind myself of. You will breathe life into your artwork. Before you know it this refreshed attitude carries over into paintings going forward.

The Bench in the Shade

There are miles of trails on The Santa Rosa Plateau, and occasionally there is a bench under an oak tree to pause, appreciate and rest. Along the trail I sat here, letting everything else melt away except for that day under the trees.

The Bench in the Shade is a 24 inch x 24 inch x 1.5 inch deep museum wrapped canvas. I like to softly sand and wash the previous paint, enough to create a clean surface with tooth for the gesso, applying gesso layers as they dry while determining the amount of texture to keep. You’ll see a lot of texture here where the long swipes from the brush were left as is. 

between the branches

In comparison my first gesso canvas in 2023, between the branches, shows little brush stroke, still adding texture but not as noticeable, a personal preference for a collector I’m sure. Does it add to or distract from the painting? Currently I am working on finding the sweet spot between the “nothing to loose attitude” and the gesso texture.

Apologies for not sharing in a while, with so much noise out there I don’t want to add to it. I look forward to sharing more art notes.

May you find a piece of fine art to brighten your day!

Rachelle