A Pencil Affair

I’ve been trying my hardest to work with pencil lately. I have some incredibly talented friends who love working in pencil, and seeing their work simply inspires me to push myself in areas that seem so intimidating to me. I am confident with colors. I know how to work with them, hot to blend them together, and how to express myself through them. I can create texture, and build up thickness. Give me a pencil, and I find myself lost. I don’t know how to even start, and I become frustrated. I have been trying my hardest to bringing in pencil into my work, for the mere idea of challenging my fears. It has been quite a journey, one that is yet intimidating to me, but I have been progressing. 

I’m not sure why I call this piece “A Pencil Affair”, but it seemed to fit the situation I felt I was in. A sketchbook piece that I think I could expand into a larger piece when the time seems right. I’m proud to say no color in this piece! What do you guys think? Any ideas, comments or suggestions?

Sketches

A lot has been going on since last I blogged, but mostly just sketching things out in a sketchbook. I am so OCD about my sketchbooks that I have two different sketchbooks for different reasons. Completed pieces are in my large sketchbook, while simple pencil sketchs are in a smaller one. It is safe to say my smaller pencil sketchbook doesn’t have much in it because I love color, and I dont like simple sketches. Most of my sketches need to be complete.. Im weird that way! I wanted to share a few I’ve done these last few weeks, and hopefully will continue to do. Im in the process of working on one sketch but it’s taking me some time to finish. I really ant to start a new large piece, and so what I’ve mostly been doing is contemplating how to go about doing another one.

What is written on the piece with the eyes only is:

“They say your eyes are the windows to your soul, yet sometimes I wonder if maybe we say that to give ourselves this blind faith that we understand others & can read them. Whaf if the truth is the eyes you are looking at are simply reflections of yourself. What if the truth is the eyes you are looking into are simply reflections of yourself. What if who you are looking at simply reflects what you truly are? Maybe it explains all the pain, hurt & anger you see in them because that is what you are actually feeling buried deep inside that locked soul of yours. Maybe what you are searching for isnt in others… but in yourself.”

Eternal Movement

There truly is no better feeling then finishing an art piece after obsessing over it for a month! You guys have seen bits and pieces of it while I’ve worked on it, from posting about it here, to posting pictures on my Facebook fan page , but its finally done and am I so happy it is! I decided to name it “Eternal Movement” for the subtle way it seems to move across the piece, as if its never ending… A sort of reminder how life and time continues to move along with, or without you. The art piece is 1 meter long, which is 39.5″ X 24.5″.  What do you guys think? I will need to take some more photos for you guys with natural light to see the background a bit better, but I was simply too excited not to share now! =)

In the Deep

I’ve been meaning to blog about this piece for weeks now, not sure why I haven’t. I sort of get obsessed with pieces when I start working and nothing can shake me off them, until I get into one of my ruts, and stop so completely that I can’t seem to be able to even look at them. It isn’t a love-hate sort of relationship, but it sure can be difficult some times when I’m dealing with something.

For once in a very long time I was seriously terrified to start this piece. I couldn’t figure out how to start, and what to start. I wrote a previous blog about it titled “Painting Again” and it really did do me in. The large piece intimidated me beyond words. What if it came out awful? What if I had to paint over it? What if I disappointed myself, or even worse, others? Silly right? I write so much about just jumping in and painting, that for once, I was terrified to do so. I am so used to working on my design work, that simply, purely painting has been left to the side.

I forgot how freeing it was. I’m the type of person who seems to crave this feeling of being free, that I seemed to have locked myself into some sort of cage of safety. The idea of just going wild with colors, brush strokes, and seeing what comes out of it not only frightened me, but exhausted me. I didn’t even realize how much I missed that way of creating until I worked on this piece. I literally felt high for days afterwards. It not only was freeing, but it was emotional for me. To simply let loose and not worry about the outcome, but to simple enjoy the process.

I named the piece “In the Deep” because I felt I truly reached within me to a place I had forgotten existed. This piece not only describes myself but my soul. It describes everything I love about art, and everything I hold dear. A 100″X70″ acrylic painting that reminds me it is okay to simply be even if everyone else doesn’t understand it. I am hoping to create more pieces like this and to simply be happy.

Painting Again

I started out as a painter, well, actually a doodler, but does that really count? My first love has always been painting, the feel and smell of it, the way it could change with one brush stroke, one feeling, a mix of a color. I have been so busy creating design based art pieces, that I haven’t had a chance to simply purely paint, and man  have I missed it.

Paint and I have had a love affair since I was a child. I remember when I was home alone secretly taking out newspapers, laying them on the ground, getting out the paints and painting for hours, then putting it all away so not to get into trouble for messing up the house. Sneaky of me, I know! I love to live dangerously! Getting back into painting for the reason of simply mixing colors together and seeing where my emotions lead me has been a process. I’ve been staring at this large canvas for days now, contemplating what to do with it. The canvas is 100″x70″ and yes, I have done design pieces that large, but I have not painted on one in a very long time. Walking around aimlessly, searching online for inspiration, and complaining on my Facebook and getting some rather very interesting ideas on how to break through and just paint, I decided to simply start.

I mixed paints, jammed to Santana, and started to paint. For the first time in a very long time, I was truly happy. So happy, that I have been smiling like an idiot for most of the day. I found my long lost love and I honestly do not want to give it up.

Here is part of what I have worked on, and I must tell you, the piece is unfinished and as of now, is completely filled (there is no more white space). I’m allowing it to dry some and will hopefully work on it this weekend. While letting this one dry, I have started yet another designed art piece that is about the same size as the canvas. Im looking forward to seeing where it leads me as well!

I am hoping some good things are flowing out of me creatively, let me know what you think!

Man vs. Nature

I don’t think this piece could have come at a better time. With all the terrible things happening around the world, from the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, to the stabbings that happened in China, to all the killings around the world, from Egypt to Syria to all the rest of the horrors happening, I seem to have subconsciously created a piece that is trying to express the need for change. The piece is called “Man vs. Nature”, and with that so much is going on.

If we started with the circular swirls that are involved in the clouds or the movement of wind, you will notice it being extremely natural and organic. There aren’t any hard edges, or any lines that are unnatural. Since natural and organic shapes are found in nature, I found it the easiest way to express its fluidity, and simplicity. The harsher and more angular lines are a symbol of industry, and man-made objects. Of the unnatural way of bending objects for our needs or more likely our wants.

The colors express the same thing, with the natural aspect of the art piece symbolizing all the natural color and peace it can bring us. While the man-made industrial area shows the unnatural aspect. How if we let industry and society dictate life, it will take over while removing all things natural. How desensitizing ourselves from all things natural and concentrating on man-made things, we remove ourselves from humanity. We become harsh, unfeeling, without conscious.

A piece expressing my sorrow and hoping it helps open peoples eyes.

 

California Feeling

When I work on large art pieces and I have a little more paint on my palette, I like to create something small in my sketchbook and then come back to it later, when I’m traveling and can’t carry large pieces with me. It’s mostly small sketches of something I would create into a larger piece.

After finishing the half meter art piece, I started finishing pieces in my sketchbook that were still not finished. I wanted to change my style somewhat, yet still use the same lines that I usually use, and by doing so, I came up with this. I actually like it. It isn’t the typical circular designs I create, it’s more geometric, yet it seems to work well with the color palette. I tried concentrating not only on the positive space, but the negative space as well. If you look between the lines made with the black marker, you will see this sort of design happening within the piece. Two art pieces in one; the positive space creating an art piece using the black marker design, and the negative space creating a different art piece within it.

I’m  not sure what the name would be for this one, but it reminds me a lot of California beaches, with the yellows, greens and blues mixed in the background and the lines in the front reminding me of the textured lines on the bark of palm trees. Every time I look at it, I think of California. Maybe I will call it “California Feeling”. What do you guys think?

 

Kaleidoscope

I have been working on this piece off and on for some time now. Since I had so many large pieces to work on, this one was in my sketchbook and was worked on when I travelled around to work, up north to a village I teach art at, or sitting at a coffee shop. It allowed me to keep working on art, even when I didn’t want to carry around large pieces everywhere I went.

I couldn’t figure out a name for the art piece, so I let my Facebook art fans decide on one. So many were so good, but none seem to hit it on the nail. I kept concentrating on the shadows, how they seemed to be a little tense, and showed movement, and I simply couldnt get it out of my mind. Becky Baer Seitsinger came up with a name I loved, “Kaleidoscope”. It explained so much, from the movement, to the colors, to the change in direction… It fit perfectly. Thank you Becky!

Let me know what you guys think. Does the name fit it well? Would you have decided on another name? If so, what?

The Tree of Life

Created for a very special friend of mine who has always been there for me, and supported me through all things, hard times, and not. This art piece is dedicated to her. “The Tree of Life” was named that way because, per her request, she wanted a tree at the center, and I worked my way outwards. The piece is trying to show the life cycle of life it self. The tree symbolizing life, earth, humanity, and souls, reaching out, growing, extending towards things, trying to understand their purpose.

The colors, not only represent her spirit, but nature and life in general. I wanted to create sort of a clash between the background paint, creating intense and harsh brush strokes to show that not all things that look calm, are actually calm. The colors are happy, natural, and in essence, at peace. They don’t give you a reaction of anger, aggression or danger, yet the brush strokes are heavy and quick, creating energy within the piece. While the design work is calm and peaceful. I wanted to show the juxtaposition of each medium, and each process.

In a lot of ways, this piece symbolizes my friend. Her personality, the way she is, the way she thinks and the way I love her. In a lot of ways its a symbol of my own personality, how I am, and the calmness and peace that I seek each and every day. Maybe its a symbol of every person.

To you Farah. For being who you are, and who you strive to be. Thank you for everything.

Art Piece Update

I seem to get so excited about working on art pieces that I forget everything else. I’m actually in the process of working on about 3 pieces, two of which are in my sketchbook, while one is a larger one that will eventually be framed. I’m actually super excited with all 3, but the larger of them is turning out incredible. What is strange is with this piece, time seemed to fly by. I guess I was enjoying myself immensely. It’s about time I start thinking about what other piece I will be working on after this one, and I have so many different ideas, wanting to go in so many different directions.

I would love to start creating political messages, yet I feel somewhat confined. I’m not sure what the restrictions would be other than the language barrier. I know I speak Arabic, and I’m living in Jordan, but I still feel somewhat like an outsider. Arabic is pretty much my second language, and understanding the political statements, and objectives is somewhat difficult for me. Creating a piece that shocks people would be great, but I also have to respect that culture. I want to be able to deliver a message that is remembered, respected, accepted, and still creative and artsy. How do I do all that at once? This is what has been going through my mind these last few days. I have a few ideas I would love to be able to explore, but funds and resources are another issue. I guess nothing worth doing does come easy, and at least I have supportive friends who would help me as much as possible.

Either way, here is what the art piece looked like a week ago. It definitely looks different now, and I can’t wait to show it to you guys. All that’s left is a little inking and then outlining. I’m hoping by the end of the week it should be complete!