Thursday, January 30, 2014

Day THIRTY


Picas
Acrylic on 12" x 12" panel board
Ready to frame
To purchase click: here



Day THIRTY of the "30 paintings in 30 days"…. Celebrate! It's been a busy, busy month.    One in which has pushed me more in different directions.  The figurative abstracts were a challenge in themselves, but one in which I discovered I had a knack for….and truly enjoyed painting them.  Another one of my discovery is what it takes to blog every day. It doesn't seem like much but you gotta make sure photographs are ready to go, listing the painting in the web gallery, writing something, links, etc.,  I often thought of my daughters who post several times a day on A Beautiful Mess.  My hat is off to you!  Thank you to all of you who hung in there read and commented this month, much appreciated.

Web Gallery
Elizabeth Chapman

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Day Twenty Nine


Luscious Heart
Acrylic on 8" x 8" x 3/4" canvas
Ready to hang
To purchase this heart click: here


Day TWENTY NINE of the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge…. almost there! This little heart painting has been reminding me of a valentine cookie. You know the sugar dough kind with pink icing and sprinkles. Does it to you or is it just me that is thinking cookies, yummy!

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Day Twenty Eight


Endless Love
Acrylic on 7" x 7" heavy watercolor paper
To purchase hearts click: HERE

SOLD

Day Twenty Eight of the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge"….. This one is the last of the the small hearts that was painted pretty much about the same time.  In my WEB Gallery "Hearts"you can see them side by side.  Or you can scroll down here to see them.  They have a lot of similarities between them. I think they would look great paired or grouped together.  As they begin to get sold,  that possibility will diminish.  If your interested, let me know as I do offer discounts on multiple purchases.  


Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Monday, January 27, 2014

Day Twenty Seven


Heart Cry
Acrylic on 6" x 6" heavy watercolor paper
Ready to frame, $75
Available

Day Twenty Seven of the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge…. ok, so not every daily posted abstract was painted on that day, but this challenge had definitely gotten me back into painting every day.  Just finished working on a large 3ft. x 4 ft. over the weekend.  Will share it once photographed.

Web Gallery

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Day Twenty Six


Sweetheart
Acrylic on 7" x 7" heavy paper
Ready to frame, $75
Available: HERE


Day 26 of the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge… I become obsessed this time of year with painting the hearts and then I seem to drop them.  I've sold and had several request lately for the hearts.  I am sorry that I've not been taking care of this category. New additions are being made!

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Day Twenty Five


Harmonic Hearts
Acrylic on 6" x 6" heavy watercolor paper
Ready to frame
Available

Day TWENTY FIVE of the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge. It's almost that time again..Valentine's. Something else that I have been wanting to work on is my heart series.  This challenge has definitely pushed me to working more in various directions.  I hope to keep the momentum going past the 30 day challenge. 



ELIZABETH CHAPMAN CONTEMPORARY ARTIST

Friday, January 24, 2014

Day TWENTY FOUR


Limitless
Acrylic on 30"H x 40"W x 1.5" wrap canvas
NFS


Day TWENTY FOUR…of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  This painting was a special request from my daughter Emma for her and her husband's home.  She asked that it be a black and white painting. My  last attempt at a black and white painting was Amalgama…see here.  As you see it did turn out to have a bit more color than just black/white, but it was close.  It's been one of my goals to paint a few black/white paintings so this was perfect to get me going.  Working with a limited palette turned my focus more towards texture and design.  You can click on the image to see more of a close up. The canvases for these are in, so you should be more of these to come next month.  

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Day TWENTY THREE


'Little Miracle'
Acrylic on 10" x 10" x 3/4" canvas
Commission

SOLD

Day TWENTY THREE….of the "30 paintings in 30 days"challenge.  Several commission paintings have came my way as a result of the figurative abstracts I have done for this challenge.  My initial thoughts with the photo for this painting where purely visual….colors, patterns, what would I do with the background, what to include/exclude, dominate features, how to deal with going from a rectangle to a square, etc.,  But in painting it, I became more focused and picked up more of the emotional aspects of the painting.  My thoughts went to the adoration and the togetherness that both of these parents have for their daughter.  Loved painting this piece.


Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Day TWENTY TWO


Montane
Acrylic on 22" x 36" heavy watercolor paper
Ready to frame
Available: HERE

Day TWENTY TWO…of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  Heavily textured surface as the paint has been built up on this one. A plus in that it gives the 156lb watercolor paper extra strength.  However, it would need to be framed and it is a rather large piece.  But there are options. Because it is an acrylic it would not necessarily need to be framed under glass. It could be adhered to a back support and popped into a floater frame.  Another idea, might be to have it placed on top of a matt and framed. Then of course it could always be matted and framed. The size of this piece could vary once framed depending on the size of matt and frame chosen.

So, what does it remind you of? I am having fun viewing it and imagining it as a mountain scene. The circles are like magnifying glasses for close ups.  Probably located somewhere in the southwest indicated by the colors. That's my take...



Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Day TWENTY ONE


Into The Open
Mixed Media on 9" x 9" heavy watercolor paper
Ready to frame
Available

Day TWENTYONE….of the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge.  Another photo snagged from A Beautiful Mess. This time it is of my daughter Emma taken by Elsie.  The title "Into The Open" means forward, ahead, onward which I thought was fitting for a girl with a bike and an independent spirit.

Today is Emma's birthday and as I was writing, the post date reminded me of her twenty-first birthday.  You see here in Missouri you never know what the weather is going to be like in January, or any other time for that matter. Emma was born on the most beautiful, warmest, sun shining day.  But, on her twenty-first  birthday she was blowing out the candles on her cake as we were surviving ten days of not having had electricity after a major ice storm.  Side note- lights came on just as she finished blowing the candles out.  Wishes do come true!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Emma!

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Monday, January 20, 2014

Day TWENTY "In Vogue"


In Vogue
Mixed Media on 9" x 9" heavy paper
Ready to frame
Available

Day TWENTY….of the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge".  This figurative abstract is of my daughter Elsie taken by Emma.  They are both such wonderful photographers that I've been going back to their blog, A Beautiful Mess in search of photos to work with.  My intent is not necessarily to paint a realistic portraiture, but more to capture the feeling for that moment.  The poise, color or patterns are all elements that will attract me and become more of what is emphasized.  In this case it was the poise, with one leg swinging back, satchel in hand, face looking into camera. Sophisticated.

Web Gallery

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Friday, January 17, 2014

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Day SIXTEEN "Father Daughter"


Father Daughter

Acrylic on 12"H x 7"W heavy watercolor paper
Ready to frame

Available from my Web Gallery: HERE



I absolutely fell in LOVE with this photograph the moment I first saw it. This painting is from a photograph of my son and his daughter. It was taken by my daughter, Elsie of A Beautiful Mess. I am not able to show you the photograph I worked from as I was not able to find it again on their post. l was able to find it on Instagram, which I discovered will be another great source for photo inspirations!

As a mother, the photograph spoke to me at so many levels.  We have spent a lot of time together in helping to raise this precious little girl.  They are both wearing the same colors here, which speaks to me about how much alike personality wise they are.  I have watched my son over the last four years grow into being such a loving dad. One who will get down to this little girls level to talk and play, as they are building a father and daughter relationship. I also loved all the light as they have always had a family with much love to give surrounding them.

"Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad." Anne Geddes 

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days….Day Fifteen


Adowa 
Acrylic on 24"H x 36"W x 3/4" wrap canvas
Available

Day FIFTEEN….. This is actually a painting that I have revised giving it a little bit different of a twist. I love the surface texture that working on a previously painted canvas will give you.  If you would like to see the older painting, I will link it here.  I was willing for it to become a totally new painting, but I wanted it to remain a vertical and keep the same title. It was already wired on the back for a vertical and the title had been written. Seems to have retained the same feel to it and somewhat similar overall color.  Adowa is an African dance…can you feel the movement?

Web Gallery

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

"30 paintings in 30 days" Day Fourteen


Futura
Acrylic on 30" x 40" x 1.5" wrap canvas
ORIGINAL 2014
Available: HERE

Day FOURTEEN of the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge"  A favorite of my son's Doren so it may end up hanging in his loft.  Eleven of my large abstracts where hung yesterday at the Springfield Airport  Sky Gallery.  The walls in our house are bare!….and my stack in the studio is down.  Ordered more large canvases, so I'm sure it won't be long till the walls are covered again.


Web Gallery

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist





Monday, January 13, 2014

Day THIRTEEN… "Sisters"


SISTERS
Acrylic on 9" x 9" heavy watercolor paper

SOLD

Day Thirteen…did you notice? ah yes, I skipped a few days and took a little break over the weekend from posting.  I did work on two large paintings and a couple of small figuratives.  I'm really pretty excited and inspired with working on these paintings.   These sisters are my two daughters!  I needed some more photographs for my figurative paintings and thought to look on their blog, A Beautiful Mess.  Snagged four of them to work on this week. This one is the first.  I'm sure they'll find out just as soon as they check to see what I've been doing. Hopefully, I don't get into too much trouble. kidding.

This one was worked through with acrylic paints on 156lb. Arches watercolor paper.  The paper was soaked, then I used a Sketch Wash pencil and gesturally drew the figures in.  Painting began with a brush and I basically kept the same gesturally type of flow going, only with paint. It was a back and forth process between the figures and the background.  At some point, I switched over to using a palette knife.  The surface of the painting has a lot of texture.  I am immensely enjoying this new process of working with the figures.  So glad I decided to take up the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge" as it pushed me to try something new.  I love the looseness that my abstract background brings in working with these figures.

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Friday, January 10, 2014

DAY TEN


Arioso
Acrylic on 30"H x 48"W gallery wrap canvas
Available

SOLD

Day TEN…the post on day ten is very encouraging, a must read! Joining the "30 paintings in 30 days" has definitely helped me to become more focus and disciplined, especially after going through the holidays.  There is much more to gain from it than producing a painting a day.  For me it's been more about getting back in and painting each day. Somedays, this will produce a painting, other days it may just be a continuation. I'll be spending the weekend painting and photographing to hopefully have more inspirations from my studio to share!

This painting which feels as if it has musical undertones actually all came together at the very end. It is an example of sometimes you just gotta take that risk.  The colors were working but there just was something, I knew it just wasn't coming together. I had decided that I was just going to have to mark it up, dividing the canvas into sections and paint from there.  In desperation,  done with painting, this one will have to wait till later, I took my vine charcoal and boldly made the black lines.  It didn't matter to me, as I would use this as a starting point to paint from later.  When done, I stood back and wow!  LOVED  it…continued on with color and circles.

Have a wonderful weekend!


WEB GALLERY

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Day NINE

Bathe
Gouache on 9"H x 6"W heavy 156lb Arches paper
Ready to frame, $100
Available: HERE


Day Nine of the "30 paintings in 30 days".  The photograph I worked from with this painting is from the DPW challenge,  The Bathing Woman.  You don't have to be a member of the site in order to participate in their challenges.  I am a listing member, but have never participated in any of these challenges.  Well, until now. I have been wanting to work with some more figurative abstracts and found several photos on their to work with.  It's been a good place for me to start.  However, I am going to have begin looking for my own, take my own or perhaps my daughters from A Beautiful Mess would be so kind to allow me to use theirs!

I began this painting purely as a gesturally drawing done with a wash sketch pencil on wet watercolor paper.  My objective was to use color with a soft atmospheric effect and not loose the gesturally feeling.    If you have never worked with Gouache (French, pronounced gwash), it is a water-soluble opaque medium. I love that you can move the paint much like working with oils.  Unlike acrylics that dry permanently, you can come back later and re-work, soften etc., an area. Because they are an opaque, thicker paint than watercolors, I can stay with the painting longer, rather than having to stop allowing drying time between layers.  Try them sometime!   


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Day EIGHT


Spectra
Acrylic on 15"H x 23"W heavy watercolor paper
Ready to frame, $300
Available: HERE


Day 8 of the "30 paintings in 30 days" .  This one was painted on heavy watercolor paper.  It is off of a roll of 156lb Arches watercolor paper that I purchased last year.  Cutting the paper off the roll is difficult as it continues to curl up on me.  Smaller pieces aren't so bad, but the larger ones have a tendency to curl up. Once cut, I will place the large piece in the bath tub and soak with water.  This flattens it out.  I then lay the paper on my studio table and the first strokes of lines/colors are placed.  I always love this first step as it is like a new adventure in not knowing where your going to be taken.

I'll be starting another one of these today along with working on a few others.  Because I am beginning on wet paper, I can only take it so far and then have to allow it time to dry.  This gives me perspective time.  I work intuitively, whether it is a piece in which I work on for hours at a time or a slower one in which it is covered in steps as in this type.  Often times when I come back I will see the next idea to work with which then leads to the next.  The wonderful thing about working on paper is that composition can be adjusted by cropping. In the end this one had about seven inches on the right side that continued on with the darks. I was bothered by it but found that by cropping I could create the right  amount of tension with out having to resolve it with painting.

If your interested in this piece it can be purchased directly from my Web Gallery via PayPal or by contacting me: elizabethchapman@artlover.com


WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist



Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Day seven…


Premier
Acrylic on 32"W x 36"H x 1.5" canvas
Available from: HERE

Day seven of the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge.  This painting is part of a collection in which I have been experimenting with new techniques.  I am working here with creating more of a translucent surface.  This is difficult for me as I have been working opaquely for several years with lots of thick paint which creates lots of surface texture.  Nothing wrong with all that, just that I am in a season of desiring new things with my work.  I say all this and I found myself yesterday back to working with a palette knife and thick paint.  But, tomorrow….   Anyway, I am trying new things.



Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist




Monday, January 6, 2014

Day Six…"Savor"


Savor
Gouache on 9" x 9" heavy watercolor paper

SOLD

DAY SIX of the 30 paintings in 30 days.  This painting was inspired by the DPW challenge of the week.  To paint a work that helps you forget about winter for just one moment.  You can check out the other paintings: HERE.  Guess I'm just up for challenges lately!  Actually, they are helping to keep me up and going.  Plus, I'm snowed in!  This one will be added and can be purchased from the figurative abstract category in my web gallery.

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Sunday, January 5, 2014

2014 Color of the year…ORCHID


Grata
Acrylic on 24" x 24" x 1.5" wrap canvas
ORIGINAL 2014
Ready to hang
Available: HERE

SOLD


Day 5…of the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge" .  Frankly, this is making me a bit nervous. However, it does have me painting every day and there are only twenty-six more days to go!  I am not completing a painting every day, but feel if I either start, continue or finish one each day it should work out. We shall see.  I hear orchid is the color trend of the year.  So, here you have my version!

Hope this colorful expressionistic abstracts puts a smile on your face and joy to your heart today!

Have a wonderful Sunday.

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist


Saturday, January 4, 2014

SALUTE


Salute
Acrylic on 8" x 8" heavy paper
$100, can be purchased: HERE

JUST SOLD!

O.k. so I am playing catch up on the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge.  It's been good for me to begin this, as the holidays kinda got me out of the groove.  I am painting again now, everyday, but it will be a bit before I catch up.  Plus January in Missouri has begun with lots of cold weather and snow.  Getting new works photographed in a timely manner will also present a challenge!

"Salute" can be purchased from my Web Gallery: HERE

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Friday, January 3, 2014

"30 Paintings in 30 Days"





So, what have I done now?  Well, I have just joined the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge".  Link here.  Most people began thinking and preparing for this around the middle of December. I on the other hand just ran into it and decided why not.  It's a challenge and I could use that right now.  I've got a few paintings that I have not listed as of yet that I can use to begin with (cheat, cheat…ssh) and a few unpainted canvases.  I have a giant roll of 156lb. watercolor paper, I can cut large sheets off and work a few abstracts on paper.  Guess I will see about ordering some canvases…very soon!

I'll keep you posted on the progress of this challenge.

My Web Gallery can be viewed: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR


Alterna
Acrylic on 32"W x 36"H x 1.5" wrap canvas
Ready to Hang

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


I've been waiting to share a series of new works with the new year.  …and here we are 2014!

Why wait?  I suppose it's because I've been experimenting with some new techniques and just seemed fitting for it to go with a new year.  I'm totally sold on using Golden acrylic paints, mostly for the color saturation factor that they have.  The heavy body have been my favorite in that I like to build up a surface of paint and they work well with a palette knife.  Recently, I've been attracted to working more with layering creating more of a translucent surface in which underlying shapes and colors can be seen. That brought me to trying Golden's liquid acrylic paints.

This painting is a combination of working with both the liquids and the heavy body.  For me the liquids are a lot like working with watercolors.  Last year,  a technique began to develop in which my intention was to create a watercolor abstract on paper.  Mien and Chichi are examples of this. Somewhere along the line, the acrylics would work themselves into the painting. That is what happened here.  The intention was to strictly work with the liquids, but along the way the heavier thicker paint I am accustomed to just crept in. 

Oh, well…however way, it worked. Don't you think?

Hope 2014 is full of new created treasures.

WEB GALLERY: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Painter