TEXTILE ART PAINTING "WHERE WE LIVE"

"Where We Live"  30 1/4" X 12 1/2",  Lori LaBerge  2018

We had a wonderful vacation, but there is always something special about returning home. It is where we live. What does a house say about us? How do we treat it? Is it a place to escape from the world and relax? Is it a place to share with family and friends? Does it tell others about us?

"Where We Live" explores these thoughts. A modern home is fronted by walls or fencing and a small gated opening. In the background are four figures. Friends? Family? I prefer this piece to be left to the imagination of the viewer. 

I'll leave you with some of the lyrics of one of my favorite songs by Nina Persson:

"And maybe dreaming of houses can save me

Give me a place where it's quiet 

And my head can rest at night

Oh maybe dreaming of houses can save me

Scenes in the wallpaper

Map the architecture of my mind"

You can listen to this song here.

A WEEK OF HOOKED ART AND PAINTING

"Monolith"  11" x 14"  Lori LaBerge  2018

My natural inclination is toward strong colors. In this work I decided to have just the one bold area. The dark blue/gray with black half circle stands out among the pastel shades surrounding it. There is a relaxing softness to the work. The use of irregular lines rather than hard edge adds to the soft feel.

  

 "Monolith" in progress on frame

                                                                   

Color selection

Blues, pinks and greens seem to be my colors this week as they appeared in both painted and hooked works.

"Gallery View"  11 X 14 acrylic on canvas,  Lori LaBerge  2018

I've been spending time walking downtown noticing all the building angles and alleyways. Various shapes were sketched out for use in this and future works and studies. Numerous diagonal lines approach from both the left and the right leading to the focal point of a square filled with color against a bright white. It gives me the feeling of wanting to be in the work itself with the lime green and royal blue adding a bit of excitement.

NEW ARCHITECTURAL PAINTED TEXTILE, SPRING STUDIO CLEANING

"Local Color"  24 1/2" X 30"   Lori LaBerge  2018

Paint was added to a larger work this week. It is interesting to see how the resulting paint color is affected by the wool color underneath. This has to be allowed for so the overall piece works. Mixing the right amount of paint for the larger areas to be covered proved challenging at first as I have only used this technique on smaller works. Mixing too much paint leaves waste, while mixing too little means having to match the exact color again.

Close-up "Local Color"  Lori LaBerge

Part of the week was devoted to yearly spring clean-up:

I like to change it up a bit once in a while so a large table was brought in and placed by the front window. Now I can work with a view. Organization, with more recent work displayed, started on the right wall and will continue tomorrow.

 A second bookcase was brought in to help organize and materials were cleaned up on the larger shelves. It is amazing how much is accumulated over time.The dye table will be cleaned up the beginning of the week.

Wall patching began and since I have no leftover paint I have decided to go with a color rather than redo the white for this wall. Painting starts tomorrow morning and my son and his girlfriend arrive Wednesday for a one week visit.

INDUSTRIAL LINES AND SHAPES

 "Industrial Park"  14" X 11"  Lori LaBerge  2018

This week's work shows small changes can make a difference. I wrote a little about this piece last week. The half circle took the place of a vertical rectangle. A curve was also added to the upper section and filled with dark blue. This broke up what would have been too much white space and created a better contrast against a section of the light blue. The dark colors envelope the lighter ones leading to an interesting lighter shape running diagonally through the piece.  

Original sketch for comparison to finished piece

While working with sketches and photos of newer homes, I still love industrial buildings. They lead to discovering numerous lines and shapes.

 Diamond shapes interlock on fencing, an oval is formed on the top of the barrel, while horizontal piping follows the length of the building. I like the sky shape left by the L shape of the building in this photo.

Various chimney shapes, taller, shorter, round, square. The side vents have one horizontal and a larger one vertical, lending variety. The piece developed from this photo is below:

"Paint the Town Red"  11" X 14" Lori LaBerge 2010

 Wide circular shapes on rooftop contrast with the wide rectangular shapes. Small openings are seen along the side of the building. Barbed wire runs across the top of the fencing.

 Cranes and piping add height. The horizontal rungs of a ladder are on the side of  tall brick form. The wide width of the smaller tank with domed roof in front gives it a horizontal appearance. Shapes are shown in relation to each other.

Vertical and horizontals of the metal bars in front resemble an erector set. There is a variety of spacing on the form that climbs the side of the building. Various box shapes make up the building itself.

PAINTED TEXTILE

"Balcony View"  20" X 20"  Lori LaBerge  2018

This week's work was formed from rooftops seen from the balcony of a townhouse in Los Angeles. The balcony (with light blue top rail) is in the lower section of the work. Many sketches were developed as I spent mornings studying the lines the rooftops created.

The majority of the hooked work underneath contains vertical lines while the painting on top was done in horizontal and diagonal lines to contrast with the vertical.

Close-up section

The under sections of these painted textiles have led me to consider how we see things. What we look at is not simply what we see visually, but how we interpret it through our thoughts. When I see architecture I see more than a building, I question what has happened there, who built it, and who once lived or worked there. Some of these things are imagined and others are researched. What lies underneath can be different for everyone.

BACKGROUND DECISIONS , FREDERICK HAMMERSLEY EXHIBIT

As yet untitled work in progress,  48" X 48"  Lori LaBerge  2017

I have been working on the latest piece in between travels to art museums. Ideas for the background were worked out with the decision to repeat the center square designs, leading to a shadow effect. These areas will be filled with dark grays so they do not stand out.

Closer look at background plan

In a continuation of last week's information on a visit to The Huntington Art Gallery, I reveled in the exhibit of Frederick Hammersley's work. Unfortunately, photos of the work were not allowed.

Hammersley is known for his hard-edge geometric paintings. He was a meticulous recorder of his work which led to the exhibit including sketches and notes he had made. He had painted portraits and began to look at blocks of color, leading to a whole new way of painting his future works.

Notes of his color formulas have been studied by the Getty Conservation Institute where many of Hammersley's information is stored. From studies with colored pencils, to large oil on canvas works, the exhibit was a peek into the artistic process.

"Frederick Hammersley: To Paint without Thinking" by The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA

The book is beautifully laid out including photos of work, notes and sketches

"Frederick Hammersley: Organics and Cut-ups 1963-1965" by L A Louver, Venice, CA

Note:  I purchased this at the Huntington Shop, but have not been able to find it available online.

Hammersley reordered previous works on canvas by cutting them up into squares and placing the squares to form a new composition. He titled his first work of this kind "Cut-Up" and the phrase stuck so that future works of this type were called by this term.

The Frederick Hammersley Foundation has a website dedicated to his work. There are also videos and research information. A good look into how an artist works. A discussion (about an hour long) of the cut-ups exhibit on video is available to watch on L.A. Louver website

RESIDENTIAL TEXTILE, INDUSTRIAL PAINTING

"Residential Curve"  14" X 11",  Lori LaBerge  2017

Diagonal lines are on the right while a curved line counters them, extending from the far left of the work to past center. There are also straight black lines, one vertical and one horizontal on the left. Two areas balance this: the black diagonal between navy and turquoise and the vertical edge of the white section.

The vertical black line keeps the two dark colors, magenta and navy, from causing a bottom heavy effect. The black lines were added to reference the underlying structure of architecture.

"Industrial Section" and "Industrial Night"  18" X 18" each,  Lori LaBerge  2017, acrylic and graphite on canvas

A deserted warehouse was used as reference for two paintings. The glow of the moon cast a golden hue onto the building and the liberty was taken to place white in the window areas in the first work. The moon was captured in the negative space between a section of building and a smokestack in the second work. I like the interesting shape of the lighter colors against the black in the second piece.

A 14" x 11" textile work to compliment the paintings has been drawn on linen and will be hooked next week. It will be interesting to see how they work (or don't) together. 

MORE GEOMETRIC SHAPES IN PROGRESS, ART IN GREENSBORO

 Untitled work in progress  14" X 11"  Lori LaBerge  2017

Another work was started this week based on downtown Los Angeles. This piece has a larger variety of shapes than my two previous architectural works leading to more color decisions. Colors were chosen to represent the feel of being near the water with a variety of light, dark, mottled, mixed and abrashed wool used.

The photo shows how values are dispersed so far. The darker values are around the edges and will continue to the left edge to form a U shape surrounding the lighter values, which are in the center and will continue to the upper area.

We drove over to Greensboro to deliver artwork and happened upon an exhibit of Richard Fennell's works at Greenhill.  I had a wonderful time exploring his use of brushstrokes and color. The works invite you into their world.

 Works by Richard Fennell at Greenhill exhibit

Works by Richard Fennell at Greenhill exhibit

One of my favorites.  I love the way this house was half hidden lending a sense of mystery. Work by Richard Fennell at Greenhill exhibit

GEOMETRIC TEXTILE "URBAN BLUSH", PAINTED ROCK FUN IN SPRUCE PINE

"Urban Blush"  11" X 14"   Lori LaBerge  2017

This week's work keeps with my love of roadways and architecture while lending itself to a variety of interpretations. 

The repetition of the red sections, the black partial circles, the gray color, curves, straight lines and diagonals keep my eye moving throughout the piece. There is quite a bit going on yet it retains its simplicity. The bottom of the white half circle comes close to the edge, creating slight tension. The red also adds tension, yet the analogous color scheme created by the addition of pink creates a sophistication which is amplified by the neutrality of gray, black and white.

Los Angeles

"Urban Blush" brought back the sense of both excitement and sophistication I feel when I visit cities. There is so much to see and it is a struggle at times to take it all in. Excitement abounds in all the activity and sophistication shows itself in the architectural surroundings. It is a different feeling from the humble architecture and quieter lifestyle found in rural areas. "Urban Blush" definitely contains the city feeling.

We often walk through town in the evenings. The other day we found this:

A painted rock was sitting on top of a larger one. The local areas are participating in a painted rock find. You find a rock, can keep it or place it elsewhere, and paint a rock to place somewhere in town for someone else to find.

Painted rock,  Lori LaBerge  2017, done for painted rock find in Spruce Pine.

Above is the rock I painted. It will be placed somewhere downtown on our next walk. Bright colors were used to attract local kids to art and a metal washer was glued on top much as I stitch washers to my textile work. I am hoping to see a lot of children participate in this project. This is being done in various places throughout the U.S. 

COMPLETED TEXTILE AND A PAINTING STUDY OF GEOMETRIC FORM

"Maine Gold"  14" X 11"   Lori LaBerge  2017,  wool on linen

"Maine Gold" is now ready for framing. The circle triangulates the whites and helps to anchor the work, giving a focal point. The repetition of diagonals contrasts with the straighter lines. Architectural forms in landscapes and buildings seem to be the direction future work is headed.

"Mulholland"  study 18" X 18"   Lori LaBerge  2017, acrylic on canvas

The second half of the week was spent playing with shapes by working with acrylic paint on canvas. When we visited our daughter in Los Angeles in May, we took a ride on Mulholland Drive. The contemporary homes with their curves, rectangles and other geometric shapes have stayed in my mind. This work was done from memory.

This soft mix of teal, green and yellow would look beautiful dyed on wool.

"Mulholland" was used to experiment with various textures using both brushes and palette knives. While I love the composition, this piece would present better in a smoother finish that would leave the focus on the geometric forms. It is a good study for development of a larger more finished work.

A visit to the Farnsworth Museum and seeing the Andrew Wyeth exhibit of studies showing both his painted works and sketchbooks has influenced me. Composition, line and shape are a larger part of my research now.

THE ALLURE OF SHADOWS IN ART

In progress work of "Sunrise, Sunset"   Lori LaBerge 2017

Ten shadows measuring 6" X 6" each have been hooked. They now need edge finishing and will be stitched to industrial felt. They will measure 11" X 14" each when completed.

It was not until I began working with plein air studies that I became fascinated with shadows. I did not want to portray them as realistic works. I pictured them as abstract works, important as themselves and not necessarily related to the specific object creating the shadow.

The abstract presentation allows the viewer to imagine what the object was that created the shadow. Some of the squares were created from outdoor sketches and others were chosen from photos I had taken.

Section to be included in "Sunrise, Sunset",  Lori LaBerge  2017

The more I explore grids the more I like the idea of creating multiple small works that are meant to be hung together. This is like gestalt theory where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. These small works become more intriguing to me when placed together. What are their relationships? 

Another question that arises is whether placement matters or not. I believe it does. The squares may be changed from the arrangement above, or they may not. When the work is in the final stages I will decide which pieces will be placed next to others.

Section to be included in "Sunrise, Sunset",  Lori LaBerge  2017

It is important to take photos of work. It gives you another look at what you are creating. The first thing I noticed in the photo of the ten together was that the first two on the top look like a continuation of each other, as do the first bottom two.  Do I want that to happen? If so, why do the others break from that mold? I do like the two cream color works being placed as the first and the tenth works, as if they frame in the rest of the work. 

I will be discussing this subject during the plein air class at Green Mtn. Rug School in June.

Go ahead and explore some shadows, take photos, make sketches and think about their shapes.

HOOKED TEXTILE DIPTYCH STARTED, ODDS AND ENDS

 "Geonight", 13" X 10" each   Lori LaBerge  2017

A diptych was started this week. Color planning led to emerald green and pink, colors I rarely use. The pink makes the green pop. After hooking these, a mix of gold and yellow was started around the pink. Though the yellow is behind the pink the work is not being hooked to portray any depth. The focus is on shape and color. 

The work will be a combination of wool fabric and yarn for texture. Yarns above are from Searsport Rug Hooking.

A textured stripe and a navy blue will be in the background to give a strong contrast against the foreground colors.

Whipping began on the latest "Cone" work. The plan was to go with dark brown. It was a bit boring, not showing up well against the dark gray whipping on the top section. I decided on rust. I also tried something different and used brown stain at random intervals on the rust yarn. The stain was tested on sample yarn and held up well through being in the sun and through abrasion on the yarn.

I received notice this week to be set up for an interview. This calls for cleaning out the studio. I started by reorganizing all the hardware metals scattered on the work table.

"Abstract & Geometric" by Martha  Sielman

The mailbox held something for me to look at over the weekend. There is a combination of interviews with artists and photos. Pour the wine, this is right up my alley.

GEOMETRIC ABSTRACT RUG HOOKING "SWAY" AND BOOK BY FRANK STELLA

"Sway"  13" X 34",  Lori LaBerge  2015

I took a a rough photo of "Sway", a new work in the connection series, as frames are on order.  The work reminds me of how swaying bridges bring us from one section of land to another.  Many swaying bridges here in the mountains lead from traveled roads to the calmness and security of a home. Sometimes that change is not only physical, but emotional. 

"Sway"  13" X 32",  Lori LaBerge 2015

The piece may be placed in varying configurations due to the flexibility of the chains. The two sections can be placed closer or further apart as well as moved up and down.  The curves mixed with the straight and diagonal lines, all with varying widths. move one's eye throughout the work.  The chain leads the eye from one section to the other and back again.

"Working Space" by Frank Stella

This book is based on a series of lectures Stella gave at Harvard University.  I love Stella's early work (his protractor series is one of my favorites) but his premise throughout this book is the death of flat abstract painting and the lack of a direction for it to take.  He focuses on Caravaggio's use of the space on the canvas (the working space) and its bringing the viewer into an expanded world beyond the canvas.  He writes of trying to determine how abstract art can achieve this.  

The book is challenging in its concepts.  I find myself reading and re-reading paragraphs trying to comprehend exactly what Stella means by his words. That is not necessarily a bad thing as it has been forcing me to think more deeply about certain aspects of painting and art in general.   

Art has had many movements.  Stella 's point is that there has not been a great movement in art for an extensive period of time.  Where is art going?

If you are in the mood for some reflection on abstract art, and its relation to work before it along with academic thought, this would be a worthwhile read. 

Think about what the art you create means to you, reflect on the style you choose to use and have a great day.