Erika Allison's Artastic Blog

Executive Acres, oil / mixed media on panel - Dimensions: 24 7/8" x 32" x 1 3/4"

I usually don’t know what a work is about until I’m done with it and have it titled.  I concentrate on design, composition, color, texture.  I view it in all directions.  I turn it upside, sideways and back up again, checking to see that I have a good composition.  I feel that if one has a good composition the painting will work in any direction.  Of course, I eventually have to settle on a direction that I think works best – or that I like the best.  Then, I’ll start studying the painting to see what I “see” in it.  Abstract work invites the viewer (including the artist) to see what he/she sees in it.  Different viewers can see different things.  Eventually, something will hit me, a title will come to mind and I’ll know I’m finished.

In this painting I felt like I was seeing outer space.  Maybe planets, asteroids, the unknown.  And, there’s all this talk about space travel, the new frontier, etc.  Private companies are talking about trips into space.  And, of course,only the very wealthy will be able to afford this kind of adventure.  I’m thinking maybe a home on a new planet takes the place of the big house on the hill.  But, then, you may see something altogether different.  One of my artist friends sees a moon pie!  She’s from the south, in case  you couldn’t guess!

This original oil/mixed media painting can be seen at R Space Studio in The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd, Ste. 125, Las Vegas NV through February.

I have been creating new paintings for my upcoming show at Ortego Gallery in Las Vegas.  I’m quite excited about it.  The Ortego Gallery is in The Arts Factory, in the arts district, where First Friday is a regular event.  There is also Preview Night on Thursday, when artists and serious collectors make the rounds.  The show will be up for the month of July.

Two of my new paintings were started at the First Annual Outdoor Paint-In.  A number of artists participated in that event.   So, those who saw my work that day may be surprised to see how different the works look after a couple more painting sessions in my studio.  Also included in the show will be a painting I started at the Paint-In at Place Gallery.

I am especially interested in texture.  So, I am always looking for new textures to explore and include in my work.  Come to the show and check out “As If By Magic”.  I’m keeping the new texture featured in this painting secret.  You’ll have to come to the show!  Let me know what you think!

I have several paintings in the works right now.  I have two that I started awhile back, but haven’t put the finishing touches on yet.  The problem seems to be that I don’t know just where I want to go with them yet.  I study them every time I go into the studio.  I rotate them so I can view them from all possible angles.  One of these times a solution will become clear to me… and I’ll proceed.

I also have two paintings that I started last Saturday at our First Annual Outdoor Paint-In.  I really like the starts I got on both.  I’m kind of amazed about that.  It’s a bit of a pain to haul all the supplies needed for oil painting to an outdoor location.  If I were a plein air painter I’d have a french easel and no complaints.  But, I’m a studio painter.  I like all the comforts of my studio.  And, I don’t really need to view subject matter since I’m an abstract painter.  Enough of that.  The camaraderie is worth the effort.  It’s interesting to see other artists at work.  And, it was fun seeing people trying to figure out what was going on!  At any rate,  I got two good starts.  And, this morning I worked on one of the paintings.  I still like it.  I’m not quite sure where I’m going with it.  But, that seems to be how I work.  For now, it’s time to leave it alone for awhile.

After first session of painting

After session 2 in the studio – on the easel

The second painting from last week is still waiting for me.  I could’ve gone right from where I left off on painting number one and started working on the second one.  But, sometimes it’s better to just concentrate on one until it’s finished.  There’s no rule of thumb on that.  It’s my call.  I think by not working on both today there’s a better chance of keeping them very individual.  Sometimes I get in a groove and what I do on one painting gets carried over to the next.  I don’t want to be an assembly line.  I want each painting to have it’s chance of shining on its own.

Painting 2, on the easel

So – this challenge is for another day.  There are plenty of possibilities, as always…

“Zoning Permit Required”

I love titles! Titles may give me a clue as to what a painting is about, or, at least, the artist’s thoughts on the work. I hate to see untitled w

orks. When I see a painting that really intrigues me and I look for the title I am SO disappointed when I see “untitled’. I feel like the artist hasn’t finished his/her job when it’s left untitled. True, each viewer finds his/her own vision. But, it’s nice to get a clue about the artist’s vision as well. Don’t you wonder WHY an artist created a work of art – or what he/she was thinking while making it?

I work in the abstract so “what it’s about” is really up for grabs! I feel like most of my work is about whatever the viewer thinks it’s about. And, what I think it’s about can often be more than one thing. I actu

ally enjoy coming up with titles. Sometimes they come easy. And, sometimes I really labor over them. I may study the finished work for days on end before I come up with something that I like, that seems to fit, that could work. Usually, when I finally come up with it, it seems to be perfect…for me, anyway. I enjoy titles that make the viewer wonder. It seems to me that if the viewer wonders what the title means, he/she must be thinking about it. That’s great! I like to think I made someone think!

So – what do YOU think? Do you like titles? Or, are they not that important to you?