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

March 8, 2023March 8, 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

March 7, 2023March 7, 2023 | 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.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2023.

concept development with MOLESKIN’S Flow App

March 6, 2023March 6, 2023 | Patricia

In addition to my fine art work, I also do graphic illustration. So, I’m always looking for ways to quickly sketch out a concept or idea on my iPad Pro before it flits out of my head. These concepts are often used to provide direction for analogue works or digital brand development. Digital drawing apps, such as the native Apple Notes, or the newer Freeform apps also have sufficient drawing tools to scribble down a thought or image idea.

Ran across this concept from last year when I tried out the FLOW: SKETCH, DRAW, TAKE NOTES APP, which is part of the Moleskin Studio trio of applications, and found the tools to be quite good for marker rendering, pencil sketching, etc. The shape snapping feature was particularly useful for this quick concept. March 21, 2022

Check it out: Moleskin Studio

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

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023 | 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

February 28, 2023March 3, 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

February 25, 2023January 22, 2024 | 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.

Paint Like CÉZANNE

March 10, 2022November 9, 2024 | Patricia

“Painting from nature is not copying the object; it is realizing one’s sensations.”
– Paul Cezanne

Over the past months I have been reacquainting myself with many of the master artists of the past. Most of them came from traditional roots and many were ridiculed when they broke with tradition to explore other ways of looking at and depicting a subject. They are also the artists we revere the most all these generations later.

This is my quick study, working title ‘Paint Like Cézanne’

Origins

February 15, 2021March 6, 2023 | Patricia

DRIVEN to ABSTRACTION: I invite my FB friends (who I recognize generally seem to enjoy my more realistic figurative art) to COMMENT on one of my recent abstract pieces. I like to throw these expressionist pieces into the mix every once in a while to ‘DISTURB the CONTINUUM’. This piece (working title ‘ORIGINS’) was an effort to recognize black history month by noting the DIVERSITY that makes up the HUMAN race. This iteration EVOLVED from a more figurative early sketch into this abstracted piece that ELIMINATES distracting DETAIL in favour of more contained shapes that MELD into, and become PART of, each other. Subtle desaturated colour indicates differences in skin colour that, while important, shifts the focus to our common humanity. The shaded space where the eyes are located create an interesting dynamic that is not easy to define. Some depths we have not plumbed? Or do not wish to see? I enjoy making ART that challenges the viewer to THINK beyond the canvas. P. S. Late in 2020 I started using my iPad Pro as a virtual sketch pad to be used as a concept tool to create traditional paint and paper or canvas works.

Daily Sketchbook

January 4, 2021March 6, 2023 | Patricia

This site is dedicated to maintaining a daily habit of making art. It may contain pages from my sketchbooks, examples from past work, conceptual ideas and inspirational influences, I have several small sketchbooks and journals in my ‘bedoffice’, with a variety of drawing and painting materials stacked alongside, so I can get an idea down quickly when it is fresh in my mind. One really CAN make art on just about anything. This quick ‘fantasy landscape’ sketch was drawn with a set of 72 half stick Faber Castell soft pastels and may serve to inspire a larger work down the line. Has a bit of a woodblock feel to it I think. This cool little 7” x 9” book was originally purchased as a small photo album. It has thick black paper separated by glassine-like cover sheets, perfect for protecting soft pastel sketches. The photo paper however is UNFORGIVING, having a shallow tooth that fills quickly with each stroke, disallowing more layered colour. Still, I will be sad when this little book, with it’s bright woven fabric cover, is full but want to get a HIGHER QUALITY BLACK PAPER to continue EXPERIMENTING with light on dark work.