Cross-Pollination

The knottiness of the screen project has worked its way into my newest painting. I love it when that happens. If it weren't for cross-pollination, I'd be useless. It's something I've relied on ever since I started painting this way.

This is the painting from the dream I referred to a few posts ago. It's going well, but it's daunting just for the sheer amount of paint it requires. (I'm not really letting myself worry about transporting it yet. It won't fit in my car. But that's a bridge to cross when I get there. First I have to finish the actual painting.)

Art Nouveau Room Screen

A couple days ago I finally finished this room screen painting project that I've been working on for FOR. E. VER. But it's done, and gorgeous. I'm very satisfied. And its owner took it home and loves it as well, which is even better. And now, I'm obligated to post pics -- which really deserve a full view.

As if getting a project done isn't sufficient reward in itself, I also got about a third of my painting studio back (the screen took up the whole end wall) and I can get back to painting in oils (the screen was all acrylics).

That's not to say it wasn't fun, though, and a nice departure from my "normal" painting style. It was also really fun to make something specifically designed for someone's personal space. The person who commissioned it left it very open as to what I was to do, except that copper is her favorite metal. So I took a poster she had of the Eiffel Tower being built and used that as my starting point. It inspired me to look at the Art Nouveau style entrances to the Paris metro, and other architectural details from that period. I only realized later that it would go particularly well with many of the paintings she has throughout her place, which are sort of Impressionist style.

This project actually reminded me a lot of set painting, which I haven't gotten to do for years now -- without the reassurance that "it only has to look good from far away." Needless to say it brought out my perfectionist neuroses, as evidenced by the fact that I painted most of it with a quarter inch brush. But it turned out great. And I actually finished it, which is (sadly) more than I can say for many of the project I start.

Oh, before I go I should post a pic of my latest greeting card. I'm working on some other designs, but I don't expect them to be done particularly soon. But the ones that do exist are all available for purchase now in singles and 5-packs on my etsy: carlybodnar.etsy.com. Enjoy!

Mid-Holiday Update

I just started a painting from a dream. I've only ever painted from a dream one other time, and this is different. Last time (7 years ago?) I was trying to paint a scene from my dream. But this is actually a painting I was working on in the dream. I'm hoping that this goes better than last time, not only because I committed to a 4x4 ft panel on it, but because...

...I'm having a show in February! And I'd like it to be all new work. So I'm hoping to channel most of my efforts into actual productive work as much as possible. Ha! Anyway, the show will be at Seven Virtues Coffee House in NE. I don't know much more, but if you would like an invite, I'll be happy to send one. Just send your email or mailing address to carly.bodnar@gmail.com and I'll add you to my list.

I also have a couple of collaborations coming up that are quite exciting. One is with and artist-friend, and the other with a writer-friend. Very much looking forward to both.

And before I go, I'll leave you with a shot of one of my new cards. Soon, it'll be for sale, but I'm just a little too lazy for that at the moment.

Paper, wonderful paper.

I currently have copious amounts of glorious, glorious paper. Paper is the only thing I enjoy shopping for in person. Otherwise, I'd much rather shop online. But paper... I can paper-shop for hours (as evidenced by today's 30-min errand that became a 2 hour paper-shopping extravaganza). I cannot accurately describe how much I like touching every open-stock stack and comparing every shade of cream or burgundy and every texture. To make it even better, my two paper stores are right across the street from each other. It doesn't get much better than that when it comes to picking out new paper.

Anyway, had to share. I'll have photos of new cards very soon, but until then, here's the final version of the Anatomic Valentine cards. I went with the burgundy because it had the best combination of writeability (if that's a word -- I liked the navy, but it would be too dark to write in without a gel pen) and contrast with the ink. And it just seemed right. I also upsized them to A2 size, which shows off the design a little more. You can buy them here: CarlyBodnar.com/shop or carlybodnar.Etsy.com.

Good: A [new local] Gallery

I have to share this brand new (not even open yet) gallery for the simple fact of it's ingenuity of venue and general portlandiness. All over Portland are houses with these little 1-car garage structures out front. Some are kind of half-buried in lawn, sometimes. Most of them look very out-dated, often run-down, and useless. You would have a hard time fitting anything larger than a compact car in them, after all. Some have had the garage-style door -- on structures like this, the door is the single wood panel type that you have to heft up, with a spring to assist you if it's not totally rusted -- taken off entirely and a normal door put in. When we were looking at houses to buy, I had always categorized these little urban outbuildings as a possible studio space for myself. The people at Good, however, have made theirs into a gallery, with a cute little window box. i had never even thought of that idea, but it makes perfect sense. Assuming that it's the garage on your own house, overhead is super low, and the commute is nil. Most galleries go out of business because they can't make the sales pay up the rent/lease for their space, but this arrangement sidesteps that problem.

I'm looking forward to this space opening, and wish them the best of luck.

New Painting, as yet untitled

Finished up one of the paintings that's been on the wall for too long. (I have to make room to start new work.) It's about 4 ft tall by 2 or 2.5 ft wide. Not sure what to call it -- been struggling with that the whole time I've been working on it. It's "about" multiple unrelated things. Don't want to pin it down too specifically with a title. Worth looking at the larger view. Better pictures to come later.

Just needed to share.

I found this image a few days ago. I don't remember what I was googling. But I feel the need to share it because I'm kind of in love with it. If you don't know me, or aren't familiar with my work and obsessions, you'll probably be weirded out. But then, if you don't know me/my work, I have no idea how you've happened upon my blog.

So here it is: (from here)

I can’t help the way I feel (2003)
John Isaacs
“In this work lies an interest in a possibility of the emotional landscape of the body becoming manifest in its surface. Visually, the way in which the flesh grows, erupts, and engulfs the body can be seen as a metaphor of the way in which we become incapacitated by the emotional landscape in which we live and over which we have little control. The body also appears to be suffering from some kind of malignancy, as in cancer, but for me, the image of the figure, coupled with the title, leads one into an open contemplation of the plight of the individual.” - John Isaacs