Daily Art

two Landscape Collage works-in-progress

| Patricia

“Every great artist has a closet full of bad paintings” ~ David Young

As the saying implies, every seasoned artist has a closet-full of also-ran works, partially-finished paintings (I have a TON of these) and various sketches, splatters, colour studies, etc. to draw on for inspiration. Years ago I signed up for a creative play course at a local art school. At that time I was operating a busy design and advertising studio and had been pounding it hard for months, even years, deciding I needed to have some fun to recapture my spontaneous creativity. During that time I started making collages out of some of the painted works I made in class. Ripping them up, adding to them with fresh paint marks and splashes—even some snippets from my creative writing journals—resulting in a couple of my all-time favourite pieces (will post them another time).

Now, some 20 years later, with arthritis plaguing my hands and arms, back problems and one ‘iffy’ foot, large works are a challenge. Historically, I worked on many pieces at a time, propping them up in my studio so I could ponder them as I walked by, making a mark here or there. At times scrubbing out an entire area. Now, I only do one or two larger pieces at the same time, with the rest of my time spent on smaller works to satisfy the necessity to create something—anything.

A couple years ago I started a daily drawing/painting habit that satisfied the creative urge. Last winter, till this day, I have parlayed that into collage work. I generally do not use magazine or other printed materials (tho I won’t rule out anything in future) but rather use my own failed (in my estimation) or damaged paintings as fodder to make something new. The ULTIMATE RECYCLING activity for creating ART. See more Art Recycling ideas here. I like the ecological aspects of repurposing material that may add to the landfill for new creative art.

Pictured here are two pieces that are on my college table at present. They are still at the placing element design stage. Gluing only happens when I’m happy with an area. I walk by and shift or add a piece of paper, a dried leaf, a piece of thin fabric or paint a brushstroke here and there till my mind yells “STOP” and I call it finished. These two have been hanging about since Spring and I’m just getting back to working on them. Each started with paint on paper, discarded works, pieces of larger works. The theme is nature clothed in its many landscape and seascape outfits.

Famous artists who worked in collage include: Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Kurt Schwitters, Hannah Höck, et al. Link.

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Do YOU enjoy working in collage? What are your challenges or pre-conceived notions about collage as an art form?

All Artwork Copyright©️Patricia S. White and not to be used without written consent of the artist. Thank you.

Speckled Apple Eco-Conscious ANALOGUE+DIGITAL Painting 7-23

| Patricia

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”
~ Martin Luther


Painted earlier this year, Speckled Apple, is another member of my ongoing exploration of the humble fruit using various techniques and materials. This particular piece started as an acrylic/watercolour background created with painting palette ‘leftovers’ (see the background here) as part of my ongoing practice of working in an eco-conscious studio. The image was imported into the Procreate application on my 12.9” iPad Pro, where the concept and details were added. More and more I find myself combining my analogue artwork with digital concepts and/or enhancements—a perfect ‘marrying’ of traditional paint and paper/canvas works, in this case combo acrylic wash on canvas paper, with digital brushes and tools. All artwork is Copyright©️Patricia White 2023 and should not be used without permission.

Multiple media: A world of Hurt in those eyes

| Patricia

“The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart.”
~ St. Jerome

A World of Hurt in Those Eyes - Multiple mediums.

Today I combined my DAILY SKETCH with a bit of CREATIVE WRITING, a paragraph I jotted down for a story I’m writing.

SCENE: Madeleine is taking a walk up the main street of her town, trying to come to grips with the fact that her best friend, has just died under mysterious circumstances.

Madeleine was looking at her reflection in a store window, and momentarily wondered who that old woman staring back at her might be. “Oh, dear” she murmured. “I almost didn’t recognize myself” she thought. “Then again”, she realized “there’s something about the eyes”. Madeleine was right. There was a world of hurt in those eyes. An untold story of pain and loneliness, betrayal and despair; a lifetime of dreams put on the shelf for another day. A day that never came.” Multiple mediums were used to draw this sketch. It was then scanned and enhanced digitally.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White, March-11-2023.

‘I’m Still Here’—an illustration in recognition of International Women’s Day 2023

| Patricia

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” ~ Madeleine Albright

March 8, 2023: – ‘I’M STILL HERE’, an illustration. A woman, seemingly cobbled together from disparate parts, to become a whole person, seems appropriate to recognize INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, a global day to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements.

While there is some way to go, today marks a time to raise awareness of the progress made toward achieving true gender equality and the work still to be done.

The beginnings of International Women’s Day can be traced back to the early twentieth century. Emerging from the labour movements in Europe and North America, reflecting a call for women’s equal participation in society. International Women’s Day first took place on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, when over a million women and men attended public events to show their support.

Other countries began to celebrate this day, with the United Nations recognizing 1975 as International Women’s Year; celebrating March 8 as International Women’s Day—a day of unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy, and action and is celebrated in many countries worldwide. https:// www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day

Artwork Copyright ©️ Patricia White 2022

The Eco-Conscious Studio: Tiny 2” x 3.5” Acrylic Seascape

| Patricia

“Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known..” ~ Carl Sagan 

I have become more conscious of what I throw into the garbage and look for opportunities to repurpose found items when creating art. So, when cleaning out some office papers recently, and finding a bunch of business cards mounted on magnetic backing, plus having recently re-read The Big Book of Tiny Art by Karen Libecap, my art material hoarder brain said “hey, these would be cool for miniature paintings”. Two coats of gesso and a limited palette of acrylic tube paints and this little 2”x 3.5” seascape popped off my brush.


BELOW: When finishing a piece, I generally use up any paint left on my palette to make a number of textured washes that I use as bases to start new paintings, or for collagés. Some I scan and import into digital drawing apps to use as a starting point for digital works. Below are a couple quick texture sheets made from palette left overs of this tiny painting.This is just one small way of limiting the waste that goes into landfill.

Red Apple BG Wash
Blue Cloidscape Texture

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2023.

Art Books: One Drawing a Day – A 6-week Course

| Patricia

“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow.”
~ Kurt Vonnegut

Years ago I purchased Veronica Lawlor’s book, One Drawing a Day – A 6-Week Course Exploring Creativity with Illustration and Mixed Media. Coming across it again recently, I thought it would be a good addition to my current daily art-making regimen.

The author opens her book with this quote:

“The important thing is to do,
and nothing else; be what it may.”
~ Pablo Picasso

Thinking about Picasso’s statement, I felt an easing of the grip of creative block that’s been haunting me for months. It’s not what I make that is the most important consideration. It is the action of creating, even something I might consider sub-par, that is at the heart of any habit we want to establish.

As Andy Warhol said, “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”

Angry Sky: Splashing Around with W&N, February 28, 2023

| Patricia

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” ~ Pablo Picasso

This is a quick watercolour sketch of a seascape, painted with a small travel set of Cotman Winsor & Newton watercolour half cakes. Testing a new watercolour paper to see how the paint flows, absorption, etc. I found the 90 lb. cold press stock too thin to stand up to the reasonably light wet-in-wet application in the sky area but handled the flowing liner brush strokes on slightly damp paper on the bottom half of the painting quite well. The paper was quite absorbent, grabbing the paint in some areas before edges could be softened.


These quick watercolour sketches, using a familiar subject I paint regularly, help me concentrate on the materials rather than the subject. I find that doing quick smaller sketches helps embed a sort of painting ‘muscle memory’ that gets easier the more often we ‘exercise’ it. While the travel set is great for tucking in your pocket for small on-the-road sketches, I still prefer using tube paint in studio.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2023

Sketchy Coloured Charcoal Apple, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

| Patricia

“The sweeter the apple, the blacker the core…” ~ Dorothy Parker

I’ve been using my DAILY PAINTING regimen to experiment with new materials, rather than working in just one medium or style. When testing new products, I generally draw a familiar subject so I only have to think about how the materials are working.

LOVED working with Derwent’s Coloured Charcoal pencils (included in their Derwent Sketching Collection).

Used a limited palette of Brown Ochre 5700, Terracotta 6400, Peat Tinted Charcoal TC18 and Burnt Earth Tinted Charcoal TC19 but I will definitely be checking out adding a larger range of colours.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White, 2023.

COLOURED PENCIL LANDSCAPE Work-in-Progress, February15, 2023

| Patricia

“Memory is the fourth dimension to any landscape.” ~ Janet Fitch, American Author

Coloured Pencil Landscape WIP February 15, 2023

Took a break from doing techie work to cleanse my tired brain. It felt like recess! 😉

This is just a quick little coloured pencil sketch of an imagined landscape. These small works stretch the boundaries of possibility for subject matter as well as the capability and limits of chosen materials. This sketch experiments with complementary color combinations. These small sketches often serve to develop concepts for a larger works.

Materials used include Faber-Castell soft pastels and Stabilo CarbOthello pastel pencils on Strathmore drawing pad, 5.5” x 8.5”.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2023.