"DIRECTIONS" COMPLETED, COLOR AND PATTERN IN FLORIDA

"Directions"   25" X 25" ,  Lori LaBerge  2016

We moved our son to Florida this past week. Many of our relatives have moved down to the warmer climate and we had a chance to visit some of them while there. 

 Work being mounted on canvas

When we returned, I completed whipping edges and mounting "Directions". As the work is in four sections, it can easily be arranged in various positions.

There were some wonderful ideas for artwork in Florida.

 Patterns on palm trees

The trunks of the palm trees criss-crossed forming light and shadow.  The rough texture could easily be depicted with textured wool or yarn.  These trees lend themselves to both abstract and realism.

 Wild and bright color combinations

Color, color, color. We saw loads of both pastels and saturated color. Pink, yellow, blue, green, turquoise, black, white and gray of various values are all seen in the photo above. Patterns of X's decorate the pink building and vertical lines can be seen in the balcony and roofing.

Wood pilings in the water

These are a favorite of mine. I love the way the various heights of the pilings protrude from the water, the various shades of color in them from the battering of the sun and the sea, the spacing between them and how the light hits each one  A subject I will work with in the future in abstract form.

DOORS AND WINDOWS AS INSPIRATION

While sorting through photos the other day, I found some great shots of doors and windows. I love finding patterns in both the new and old as my husband and I drive through towns and visit new places.

I love everything about these doors.  The bars at the top, the "x" shape, the slats of wood behind the "x" shape forming stripes, the metal hardware including those great rings.  So much inspiration to draw from one doorway.

This door has a busy, complex pattern.  I love the way the ironwork looks against the striped pattern of the building itself.  The curves remind me of a William Morris pattern with luscious scroll work.  Yummy!

This is a close-up of part of a wonderful old door.  I love the combination of the diagonals with the straight boards across the top and bottom.  The door exudes strength with its geometric lines and clavos (decorative nail heads).  

These are wheel windows.  They have spokes radiating from the center circle outward.  These form a simple shape similar to a child's drawing of a flower.  The term rose windows, which some may call these, is usually reserved for more complex designs.  I love the way the stone surrounds them, giving some depth.

I love going through old buildings.  There is something about the deterioration of the materials that fascinates me.  This window is framed in metal and the rust can be seen where it has dripped down each section.  The paint on the metal has decayed with age.  This window has great character.  I can envision a painting of rectangular sections with burnt umber paint applied and left to drip over the canvas.

This window is in an old deserted waterworks building.  It has certainly taken the brunt of vandalism over the years.  The broken sections have great abstract shapes and leave much to the imagination.  The second window on the top reminds me of a cat's head.  What do you see in these shapes?

Next time you encounter a window or door, look at it in a new way, imagine all the design possibilities and have a great day!