GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTS, DESIGN SKETCHES

Work in progress:  "Cone II"  18" X 18"   Lori LaBerge  2016

I found this week to be a good time to delve into a little bit of everything. The hooking in the second of the cone series was started this afternoon.  

Colors chosen "Cone II"

Some wool was dyed and some I was lucky enough to find on the studio shelves. The top of the cone section will be yellow and green then shift to rust and brown at the bottom. Dark and medium grays will go into the right hand background and medium and light grays in the left hand background.

"GeoScape II"  design sketch

I am continuing to delve into geometrics inspired by plein air study. The above work developed from viewing a tree against the moon and clouds at night. The work could be hung a variety of ways including horizontally as above or vertically as seen below.

I would have included a sketch of the scene done realistically, but unbelievably I am using the excuse that the cat shredded the sketch. She also has broken two vases. Yes, she is still alive and well. Just too cute to get mad at.

 "GeoScape II" vertically

I will be discussing using plein air to create abstracts as part of "The Art of Plein Air" class at Green Mountain Rug School in June.

 "Geoscape III"  sketch

The third in the series is a sketch I made in Florida. It continues my current interest in wood pilings on the water. While clearly abstract it is easier to see the subject matter of this piece than that of  "Geoscape II". Will the colors chosen affect that perception?  

Kandinsky and Klee in Tunisia by Roger Benjamin

While preparing for class I am reading works by some artists that are not thought of for plein air work but created them at some point in their art career. This book takes the reader through the adventures Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee had while creating work in Tunisia. Klee's plein air work there led to his increased interest in color. This interest in turn led Klee to turn more and more toward abstraction.

A Happy New Year to all. Join me in continuing to love, view and create art in 2017.

GEOMETRIC TEXTILE WORK AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

 "GeoScape I"  10" X 13" ,  Lori LaBerge  2016

This is the last work that will be completed in 2016. It developed from the study of shadow in a plein air sketch. Various values of gold, red, purple, brown and blue gray were used. The straight lines of blue gray to the right of the red are close in value to the background and almost hidden. I look forward to using plein air in a way that develops my geometric work and moves it forward. The outdoors offers so much to see in our own way!

Thank you to all the blog readers of "In the Studio and Elsewhere". You keep me on my toes and I look forward to seeing what the new year brings.  

A  VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS!

"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.

EXPERIMENTING WITH COLLAGE

I decided to take a break from hooked work over the holiday and pull out paper, paints and old magazines to try out some collage ideas.

When experimenting I tend to use lower cost supplies  High-end paints and brushes can be quite expensive so I save them for final projects.  Archival quality products should be used for works that will be shown, sold or expected to last over time.

I painted about two thirds of each 6" square with paint. Here I chose a mix of yellows and browns for one square and yellows and greens for the other. I have tons of magazines on hand dating back to 2010 so I had plenty to choose from.

 "From the Bay Window"  6"x6",  Lori LaBerge  2016

The work above has grays mixed with patches of bright color and it has a minimalistic look to it. Looking out our bay window I could see some trees still had the color of fall on them  I tore sections of color from the magazines rather than cut them as I liked the ragged look it left. It also leaves a touch of white on the edges of the paper as it tears.  

Here is a photo of what I was looking at as I worked:

From viewing the two above photos it is easy to see how a realistic scene can become abstracted.

"Fire in the Distance"  6" X 6",  Lori LaBerge  2016

A section of gray wood on the bottom left shows the deck while the purple curtain is placed in the foreground. Beyond the curtain are painted gold fields and collaged green hills leading to an expanse of gray sky with no mountains in sight. The upper right shows the fire raging in the mountains.

Recent fires in the area have left us spending quite a bit of time indoors as breathing was difficult when winds picked up. We could see smoke spread across the mountains, which were barely visible for days.

View of smoke in the mountains from the deck

It was interesting to see how a different medium affected my design aesthetic. I found myself using rougher edges and veering from my usual geometric style while working. It is a freeing medium with a lot of possibilities and I expect to continue working with it.

Art exercise--

Try a different medium.  Collage, paint, colored pencils, watercolor, clay, assemblage or other and see how it affects your style. Did you learn anything about yourself or the way you approach your artwork?

GIVING A TITLE TO ARTWORK

"Metropolitan" body section hooked and ready for pressing,  Lori LaBerge  2016

With a full week of jury duty, work was limited. I found time in the evening to finish hooking on the body section of the latest work. I also decided to name the piece "Metropolitan".

Titles can be important to viewers and it took me a while to name this work. I like a title that people can relate to and perhaps help them to see something in the work. A title should not give a total explanation of the work, but allow the viewer to experience the piece on their own. 

Close-up of "Metropolitan". Photos allow a better sense of where tweaking is needed, there are a few spots I'll correct

We have been on the road extensively this year and the piece shows the city blocks we have maneuvered along with their corresponding highways and overpasses. Many others have had the same experience. I like that people can recall their own memories of travel through the road pieces I've created.

One title of a work that starts a series can lead to many more. Future titles I have in mind refer to roads we have driven. "Neck of the Woods" from our experiences four-wheeling in our Jeep through the back roads of the mountains is one example. "Pacific Coast Highway", and "Rodeo Drive" will derive from visiting our daughter in the L.A. area. I look forward to delving into the colors that surround each of these areas and incorporating them in the work.

 "Louise Nevelson-Light and Shadow"  by Laurie Wilson

I know very little about Louise Nevelson except that I have loved her work forever and who can resist a woman who dresses like the one on that cover.  I really need to spice up my closet. Anyone for a Louise Nevelson party? Nevelson is known for her monochromatic wall pieces made from wood. I have this weekend all to myself, so I plan on settling down and getting a good chunk of reading in. You can see examples of her work at Artsy.

Art Exercise-

Look over titles you have chosen for your works or look at titles on the internet or in museums.  Do they make you think about the piece, bring back memories or relate to your experiences in any way?

LANDSCAPE SILHOUETTES, THE SPOTLIGHT EFFECT

 "Silhouette 1"   11 X 14,  Lori LaBerge  2016

The first of a grouping of landscape silhouettes was worked on this week. These were developed from both plein air work and from sculptural pieces. Plein air has led to the rug hooked sections of light and dark. In the sculptural work I had used industrial felt and loose threads and this is carrying over into wall pieces 

The white threads are on the top sections and the black threads on bottom. While black threads are seen hanging off the bottom of the piece they are more hidden on the piece itself. They are seen clearly when the viewer approaches the work. The plan right now is to create a grouping of 10 to be hung together. 

"Intersection"  design,  Lori LaBerge  2016

While on the ride home from Vermont, we stopped on a bridge which looked down on a crossroad. The lighting was creating a spotlight effect on the roadway and surrounding area.  This piece developed from that scene. The outer areas are darker and progress to lighter with the focus area being the lightest. I also added a metal bar to the left side which balances the work.

Having been a psychology major as well as studying art I find the spotlight effect interesting. In psychology it refers to one thinking they are being noticed more than they actually are. In these pieces something is spotlighted that we usually pass right by and don't give much thought to.

"Watercourse" in design phase,  Lori LaBerge  2016

This piece was developed from a round drain on the road which had light shining on it. The same spotlight effect used on the piece described above was used here. There will be more contrast between light and dark on the actual work to bring out the brightness of the focus area.

Art Exercise-

Try to find areas that are spotlighted, whether by interior lighting or exterior lighting. How does this affect the color of the object and the surrounding areas?

A special thank you to all for the sympathy calls and cards received upon my mother's death.  I have been off my game and a bit unfocused.  I am now finding my way back to where she would want me to be.  

ABSTRACT FIGURE PROGRESS, SKETCHING PLEIN AIR

Work in progress,  Lori LaBerge  2016

Keeping things straight

When working on a piece with a specific shape to it measuring is important. In the photo above the ruler is placed against one of the angled edges to make sure everything is aligned.

Correction needed

When I measured the other side, it was off by about one line of hooking where the light yellow and light blue are seen creating a bowing effect. This was filled in to keep the angle of the side of the piece in alignment. I will keep measuring at certain intervals as the piece is worked on.

Plein Air sketch,  Lori LaBerge  2016

We had some beautiful weather here this week so I decided to sit out on the deck with a glass of our homemade wine (not too bad for our first batch) and do some sketching. The sun was shining brightly leaving some great shadows to work with. I took the liberty of adding the sky to this work.  In reality, the background was filled with pine trees.

About 3/4 of the tree was in dark shadow with the left 1/4 in sunlight. The shadows were lengthy as it was morning. They were also narrower than I would have guessed. I learn something every time I work outside. Some of the best shadows are at sunrise but I'm not a morning person, so I frequently miss that opportunity.

Abstract Plein Air sketch,  Lori LaBerge  2016

This sketch kept to an abstract look. The darkest value is from the shadows that were viewed, the light value is the gravel road and the medium values are the pine trees in the background with certain trees represented by thin lines.

Here I marked off patterns. There is a repetition of sharp zigzag lines throughout the work which give a sense of action and tension in what is in reality a peaceful scene.

We will be talking about realistic vs. abstract, composition, lines, light and value in the Plein Air class I will be teaching at the Green Mountain Rug School next June.

Art exercise:

See how many types of line you can find in an outdoor landscape scene.