Sunday, May 6, 2012

More Dreaming

I  have so  many  dreams  every  night--it's  a  wonder  that  I'm  not  exhausted  when  I  wake  up  in  the  morning,  and  it's  the  kind  where  I  remember  them....for  about  5  minutes,  and  then  I  forget what  they  were  about.  It's  weird   how  your  mind  works--maybe  I  should  write  the  good  ones  down,  and  then  when  I  read  what  I  dreamt  about  later  on,  I'll  think---did  I  really  dream that??   Well  anyway,  I  do  remember  fragments  of  my  dreams,  and  this  is  where  the  art  comes  in---you  know  the  layering--just  like  my  dreams.   I  start  with  the  first  layer  or  dream--



......and  the  next  one....


I  added  washes  of  paint,  some  more collage,  including  an  image  of  my  sketched  face  on  a  text  page,  some  stenciling   with paint  and  modeling  paste,  and  then...


I  was  thinking  I  wanted  to  do  some  grid-style  art  (I  kept  my  face--you  know  how  they  say  not  to  get  too  attached  to  your  background,  because  it  will  stop  you  from  going  further--well  I  was  too  attached  to  her,  so  I  didn't  cover  her  up)   But  I  was  just  wasn't  getting  too  excited  over  this  grid.   I  just  can't  seem  to  let  go  when  I  make  art--even  though  there  may  be  layers,  there  has  to  be  some  order  to  it.

Well  in  the  meantime,  last  week  I  got  this  book--



I'm  sure  a  lot  of  you  have  this book  by  now,  and  it's  great--I've  been  actually  reading  it   and  taking  in  what  Flora  is  saying.   A  lot  we've  all  heard  before,  but  you  can  never  hear  it  too often.   She  says--"Everything  that  happens  along  the  way--every  dab  of  paint,  every  emotion  that  arises,  every  brave  new  choice  is  an  important  ingredient  in  the  final  offering..  so  when  you  work  from  this  perspective,  there's  no  room  for  fear  to  slip  in.  There  are  no  mistakes"   I  always  say  this  over  and  over,  but  it's  not  that  easy  for  me---I  hate  the  "ugly"  stage,  but  I'm  getting  better--knowing  that  I  will  like  it  in  the  end---because  basically  there  is  no  ending,  until  you  say  it's  over--you  can   just  keep  going  and  going......

So---I  just  kept  going   (like  my  dreams  at  night  :)


Whoa!!---this  was  a  bit  too  chaotic  for  me,  but  I  was  trying  not  to  get  all  stressed  out  about  it---I  just  needed  to  get  rid  of  some  of  the  chaos  and  cover  it  up,  but  not  all  of  it....


I  pushed  back  some  of  it  and  then  added  more  collage  over  it---I  just  left  fragments...like  my  dreams....




...and  I  was  still  able  to  keep  my  face....peeking  through...

So,  you  know  how  you  hear  when  artists  are  sometimes  asked  where  their  ideas  come  from,  and  they  say  that  they'll  dream  about  them---well  I  guess,  you  could  say  that  I  dream  about  my  art--well  at  the  least  the  concept  of  it--all  of  the  different  layers.....

30 comments:

Unknown said...

This is great Diane! I got my Flora book yesterday and am excited to start reading it.
I don't usually remember my dreams, but this past week I was dreaming that I was painting! lol...was so real and I've never painted in a dream before : )

Have a great Diane

Unknown said...

Awesome!!! Your work is amazing! I just got Flora's book in the mail... Great one!

Šolanje na domu-Waldorf said...

That was amazing to read and see the different stages. :) I bought FLora's book, too but haven't tried it out yet. :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I guess I get too attached to my backgrounds and can't move forward. I must start with less enjoyable backgrounds, because I would never be able to completely cover those butterflies or that bingo card. Really lovely finish, though.

Isabel said...

Love:O) Love the process, looking forward to getting Flora's book:O)

Rebeca Trevino said...

nicely done.
and although some of the early elements are not easily seen under the layers, the end product is lovely.
what an interesting perspective!
i never thought about our night-time dreams having an effect our art, but i can see how they totally could.

Kathy said...

Diane, this was an amazing post! I am jealous how, when you are at that ugly stage, you know what to do about it. I get stuck there. My ugly stage usually involves everything being too dark and I just sit there looking at it going, oh , no I did it again. Thank you for the encouragement!!

Lynn Cohen said...

Nice the way you worked through this whole process from dream to dreamy piece of wonderful art!
Love it!

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

I too dream every night and can remember most of them.
Your creations just amaze me. I love everything you do. What gift you have for creating beautiful art work.
I should buy this book for my granddaughter Kaci she loves doing this.
Have a wonderful week
Maggie

wandamarie.blogspot.com said...

AMAZING...especially LOVE this post diane, in it's ENTIRETY, TREMENDOUSLY. and i can't wait to get my book so i hung on every word you wrote about it, thanks! xo

Jen @Sadie Inspired said...

LOVE it! I really liked seeing how it started too. I can't wait to get my Flora book - it should be here soon! :) Keep dreaming!!

Connie said...

I love this post. You are such a creative lady, not just your art, but also your writing. I will have to look for this book, it just might be what I need to start my brave journey into mixed media. So far, I have just dipped my toes in (afraid to get wet, I guess). You are such an inspiration! Thank you for sharing, Connie :)

Bren Graham Thebeau said...

Great post, loved seeing how you worked your way through the process and what a stunning result! You were wise in keeping that face, perfect!

Unknown said...

Hi Diane, I found you on a bit of a blog hop. I've decided to click on a link from each page I go to and see where I end up! Your artwork is beautiful. I loved the busy page but the end result is even more beautiful.

I'm getting better at the messy stage. I think it's important to show people that beauty doesn't come easily - I think some are under the illusion that you have to be perfect and some give the impression that they only create perfect art!

Giggles said...

Wow this is fabulous! Thanks for sharing your process. It turned out beautiful! Both my daughter and I have been inundated with many dreams lately. It's crazy! This morning I awoke from the grossest spider dream!! I know I screamed!! I can't get this out of my head either!

I love how the face is peaking out. How you managed to make it even more beautiful!! Love the colors too!!

Hugs Giggles

manomij said...

What a lovely way to play with your backgrounds! I hate doing backgrounds but now I see what can come from them I may need to change my mind!
ManonX

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh, I love it! Loved seeing the stages, awesome Diane! Flora is speaking at a book store just north of me this coming week. I really want to go. Happy Painting!
♥Jenny

sharon said...

You have the [patience of a saint Diane, and your skills are incredible! The layering and how you land up with still the transparent face shining thru....such emotion I think! Very beautiful!

Jen Beaudet said...

I love how you wrote this post connected to your dreams,and your girls face is so beautiful and serene. Great!
Jennifer:)

Celeste said...

This is fantastic. So inspiring.

rachel awes said...

i love that you are working to match up the canvas w/your internal life (or the other way around? or both?). + of course, then, this is BEAUTIFUL. xox

Cameron said...

Wow! I've seen some incredible work done with Flora's teachings!
This is no exception! I love how you personalized the results and tweaked them to make them your own...more you :)

Kristin said...

Oh, Diane! I honestly learn so much from you and your step-by-step pictures! Your layers are intoxicating and I am SO IN LOVE with that beautiful girl!
AND yay, Summer of Color! So happy that you will be playing along, xoxo

Rosie said...

Love what you've done and was VERY interested to share the process - because I'm the same, only not as good as you at persevering!

Kristin said...

Morning! Thank you for your sweet comment about the journal - it DID unfold into a story - love when that happens. Happy Thursday, xoxo

Tammie Lee said...

i also dream
a lot!
and i dream about art, as well

your piece felt full of dreams, to me

love the layers that happened for you and what you did with them

GlorV1 said...

This was a great post Diane. Enjoyed it much. Your techniques are awesome. Lots of layers and then end result is always fabulous. Great work Diane. Have a wonderful weekend.

Kristin said...

Diane, thank you so much for my sweet comment! xo!

Martha Lever said...

I loved seeing your process and thinking. I love what you did to finish it. I have Flora's book too. It's very good. I am going to be brave and try some of her techniques.

Deb Harvey said...

Thank you for posting this, Diane! Flora lives about 80 miles north of us! In the same city as our daughter! I would love to take one of her classes! Ordering her book now! Great post!!!

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