Two is Better Than One

Magical Lights

8 x 10 inch

All That Fluff

8 x 10 inch

Magical Lights and All That Fluff

Acrylic 

Workspace

Current workplace is on a table. I have different work spaces for various types of work that I do. A table for paper paintings, an easel for canvases and a wall for unstretched canvases. What I have never thought about is that maybe it's a mood that decides which space to use. This one is still, quiet, with dimmer lights whereas with an easel there's music, dancing and brighter lights. Ever thought about your various work spaces? 

Available from my website: elizabethchapmanartwork.com

or contact me: elizabethchapmanart@gmail.com

Contemporary Gold, Black and White Tiger Abstract Painting "Uma and The Tiger"

"Uma and The Tiger"

Metallic Gold Ink and Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Panels measure 24"W x 48"H x 3/4" (X3) and 36"W x 48"H x 3/4" 

Total measurement is 9ft.W x 4ftH

Beautiful isn't it!!! 

More pics....

I can't claim to be the artist for these, although I am the artist's mom!  .....and working on selling these for dorenchapman.com a graphic animator and illustrator.

This is a LARGE painting! Other options for display would be to separate the painting and hang the three panel tiger on one wall with Uma on another.


If interested in more information you may contact me: elizabethchapman@artlover.com
or the artist himself!...  dorenchapman@gmail.com

morning muse.

"Morning Muse"

Acrylic on 30" x 60" x 1.5" wrap canvas

Commission SOLD

Inspiration can come from so many different sources.  The important thing is getting an idea planted in your head and being so excited about it that you can't wait to put to a canvas.  That is the spark that gets it rolling.  Many changes from the original idea can occur, but that's ok….it's all a part of the process.

A commission is different in that the idea is going to come from someone else, the client.  Now and then there are clients who will totally turn you loose. "Love your work. I want you to paint freely. Here's the size I would like, paint however you want".  LOVE painting that way!!

However, I also enjoy painting with direction being given to me.  In this manner, the inspiration is coming from the information that the client is giving.  I may hear about certain paintings that are favored or not, preferred color schemes, colors to not use, perhaps it's a certain feeling the painting is to have from photographs the client sends me, etc., What is unique about a commission is that it becomes a merging together of ideas between a client and the artist.  A unique individualized work of art. Somewhere between all this info. inspiration will strike.

The story behind this painting is another special relationship that was formed between myself as an artist and the client.  Inspiration came to me immediately as I read the initial contact.  This person was re-decorating their home in a contemporary/neutral color/tranquil environment.  The painting would be for their bedroom which had a very long wall where they were looking for and considering a large painting. They liked my colorful, happy, fun style.  Mom and Dad's bedroom was a very special place in which each morning the kids would run and jump in their bed. A time of day in which they spent  together laughing and playing together.  The desire was to create a painting that visually represented this "happy" and "good morning" type of day.  This shared information totally stole my heart away and the initial vision/inspiration for this painting was birthed.

We continued to communicate in order to pin down their expectations. The initial vision was to have happy and fun colors  to represent their morning family time.  Changes to the original vision where made as it was asked if it could also include more of a landscape or maybe even a cityscape.  Abstract, of course. Also, could it be more of a horizontal composition.  The challenge as an artist is to work the ideas that the client has into your own.  That is what you see here.  Can you see the tree(s), landscape, cityscape, happy and fun colors all mixed into a horizontal composition? It is a challenge, but I love the uniqueness that occurs with the collaboration of ideas and the individualism that a custom made work of art creates. 

The bottom image is the final version in which a few adjustments were made.  It's not quite as bright due to the difference in times of day photos were taken. Somewhere in-between the two images is the actual color in real.  There was a little too much pink to suit the man in the family. No big deal. Totally, understand.  Simply, brushed a little red over it, toning it down without changing the balance of color.

So happy that this painting is going to be very loved!

Would you like to see more of my abstract paintings?!

Then visit me….by clicking HERE

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

studio dilemma

"Wed"
Acrylic on 36"H x 48" x 1.5" wrap canvas

SOLD


I am still struggling with working in my studio.  Only now it is because we've had to so some unexpected work on the basement ceiling, (not my studio) which curtailed removing the previous ceiling texture and replacing sheetrock.  It is a mess.  Therefore, I only tip toe through when I really, really need to get something. Not feeling like working down there with all that mess.  Plus, still working on the lighting in my studio.  This painting was completed last week before all this begun.  

Yesterday, I just needed to paint. So, I brought my watercolors, gouache, brushes and paper upstairs.
I've now set up a temporary studio in the kitchen!  Here I have decided I will use up the watercolors and gouache paint.  Because I mostly paint with acrylics the watercolors have not been used as much over the last few years.  Good watercolor paint is expensive, but a little bit goes a long ways and so they can last a long time. Only, if not used up over many years they will turn gummy like in texture which is what has happened. Gouache is another watercolor medium.  It is more opaque than watercolors.  I call it the oils of watercolors.  Love the feel of being able to mix and blend with them, especially with white.  To resolve the problem I'm having with the watercolors having turned gummy like, I'm mixing  white gouache into them.  Mixed media.

Back to the studio dilemma.  I feel like a broken record going over and over the struggle I've been having getting back into feeling at home in my new studio space.  It takes time to get things to where they are working for you.  I was encouraged this morning by reading another artist's struggle with this dilemma.  I've always admired her work and is pretty much a daily read of mine: Texas Artist Laurie Pace  Not feeling so alone now, in my struggle.

This painting can be viewed and purchased directly from my web gallery: HERE
or email me: elizabethchapman@artlover.com

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

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

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

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

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.

WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

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

Palette Knife Abstract

Summer Splay

Acrylic on 48" x 48" x 1.5" wrap canvas

Commission-sold

My pick for the day is "Summer Splay" which was a  2013 commissioned work to be painted similar to the original posted: HERE.  "Indian Summer" (2009) would later become the inspiration for my first commission to a couple here in Springfield, Mo., titled "Better Two", then Little Summer , New Dawn and  lastly Summer Splay.

Unique to these paintings is that they were painted entirely with a palette knife.  I am encouraged in reading the original post from Indian Summer back in 2009.  This had not been a good day for me.  The previous year 2008 I had resigned a well paying job as a high school art teacher to begin my own business. My paintings had not begun selling and I was frightened.  So, I had picked up a part-time job as a florist in a local grocery store to at least supplement our income in paying for my health insurance.  My creativity in floral arrangement had not been appreciated as I was criticized for using too much white with color..can't do that.  Frustrated, I came home and painted "Indian Summer" slashing whites into it with a palette knife. My stubborn streak was saying I'll show you that it can work. I did leave that job after a few weeks and shortly after, that painting became the color palette for the commissioned painting Better Two. God provides.

  I have learned over the years that painting is a lot like having a "real" job….you've got to show up and clock in each day.  You can't just sit around and wait for that "magical feeling" to begin.  No matter how your feeling or whatever else is going on in your life you've got to go to work.  Often times, this can be the hardest part. But hey, don't be too hard on yourself either, there are also sick days and vacations!

I've been experimenting with some new techniques and have several new paintings that I will be posting soon….
for 2014!

Please visit my web gallery: HERE 

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

MOMENTA

Momenta

Acrylic on 24" x 30" x 3/4" wrap canvas

SOLD

Still going through my 2013 paintings and reflecting on this past year and building up momentum for 2014.  Excited and looking forward to beginning a new year with fresh ideas.   As I do this I am recognizing a few paintings that I would like to revise.  This one is NOT among those tagged.  I've not been in the studio much lately.  Discipline is lacking.  However, I have been tossing around a color scheme and ideas for  a large 30" x 48" canvas…

Hope you've been enjoying my stroll through the 2013 archives….

Web Gallery: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

ORANGE ABSTRACT

Inspira

Acrylic on 36" x 36" x 1.5" wrap canvas

Ready to hang

 Another 2013 favorite of mine, presently hanging in our kitchen! ...available to hang in yours! 

Lots of surface texture...posted about here back in September.

WEB GALLERY: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

REMINISCING

Mien

Mixed Media on 22"H x 30"W heavy watercolor paper

Ready to frame

SOLD

One of my favorites from 2013 working on the watercolor paper. Would like to continue working in this style in 2014.  Not really working right now, as we are preparing to celebrate Christmas.  With so much going on, I find it's best for me to spend time relaxing whenever possible.  Spent a little time yesterday in the studio, de-cluttering  a few spaces.  Just this little bit can help me feel organized and ready to begin a new year of painting.  I have some new Golden acrylic liquid paints bought that I've experimented a bit with, but will be playing more with these later.  Enjoy your week!!

WEB GALLERY: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

Mixed Media Expressionistic Abstract

Ardor

Mixed Media on 22"H x 20"W on heavy watercolor paper

Ready to frame

ORIGINAL

SOLD

Another 2013 original. I began working more on paper this year as I have a large, large roll of 156lb. Arches paper.  Kinda a funny thing as I have found there to be less intimidation when painting on paper.  Most of these were begun with watercolors followed by layers of acrylics. 

WEB GALLERY 

ELIZABETH CHAPMAN

CONTEMPORARY ABSTRACT ARTIST

BLACK AND WHITE ABSTRACT

Amalgama

Acrylic on 30" x 48" x 1.5" wrap canvas

ORIGINAL 2013

SOLD

Sometimes a painting will come together so quickly that it feels as if it was just to easy.  "This just can't be, it was too easy, it just isn't fair, better keep working on it, it's suppose to have a certain amount of time put it into"  Just some of the thoughts that will occur to me.  Amalgama was one of these paintings. To me, it is one of my most expressionistic abstracts.  My objective here was to work with a very limited color palette.  It was going to be just a black and white painting, but as you can see...I can't do that! With that in mind I got up one morning, put the music on and painted to the flow. Later I went in and work a few details with the vertical lines.  Lesson to be learned here....knowing when to stop. 

More 2013 abstracts available: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

ORANGE ABSTRACT "Afterglow"

Afterglow

Acrylic on a 36" x 36" x 1.5" wrap canvas

Available

Moving right along on my 2013 journey is this painting... and still available!

Lots of surface texture as I worked and re-worked the surface until I reached a point in which I was satisfied.  I love the richness of the umber browns and oranges against the warm bright oranges contrasted against the cool blues.  Reminds me of an evening sunset as the sun has gone down leaving a warm glow and the coldness of the night begins to set in.  What do you see?

MY WEB GALLERY

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

whatever will be will be

Poco

Palette knife acrylic on 8" x 8" heavy watercolor paper

Ready to frame

Feeling as if it was time to work on adding a few more paintings to the "heart abstracts" category of my web gallery, I set out to paint hearts.  That is what these last two "Poco" and "Pana" (scroll down one) were meant to be.   Also, I worked on both of them simultaneously which tends to help freshen my perspective.  The flow for creating hearts just wasn't happening, so why fight it.  I'll try another day!

This small abstract along with a complete portfolio of my work can be seen on my web gallery: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist

colorful

Alembic

Acrylic on 16" x 20" x 3/4" wrap canvas

Available

I've been working on a few commission paintings lately and so that has taken up some of my regular painting time.  Thursday and Friday's are reserved Penny days!...no painting.  Well, except for the occasional break into grandma's supplies! She is four now and I am looking forward to the day we can paint together. This is a painting from 2012 and is one of my favorites.  Lots of surface texture created with thick paint, a palette knife...and COLOR!!

My paintings can be found and purchased directly from my web gallery: HERE

To contact me, please email me at: elizabethchapman@artlover.com

BLOG

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist

more fall colors

Glow

Acrylic on 19"H x 24"W heavy watercolor paper

Ready to frame

Available

Rich with layers of color and texture on heavy watercolor paper.  I've noticed that even though I am still working with the same medium (acrylics) it seems that lately I've been more willing to try new things, take that last step risk or even just let it be when I'm painting on paper.  Less expectations? Maybe so.  The paper that I'm working on is a heavy (156lb) Arches watercolor paper  that I purchased in a large roll earlier this year.  I love that I can cut paper off  what ever size and will usually get 2-3 pieces out of that.  The paper is then soaked in the bath tub and then transferred to my painted drafting table.  Usually I will begin freeform with watercolor paints and a water soluble pencil.  These are the first marks from which the flow of the painting will come.  I can only take the painting to a certain point on the wet paper and then have to leave the paper to dry.  This gives me time to get a fresh perspective on the piece and I can also start a few other paper paintings at the same time.  When dry, I will come back and begin layering with the acrylics.....and playing between all the pieces.

More of my abstract paintings can be seen: here.

Email: elizabethchapman@artlover.com

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Painting

kaleidoscope of color

Terrace

Acrylic on 24" x 24" x 1.5" wrap canvas

Available: HERE

SOLD

Still in a fall mode color palette as I was working with this one.  What will I do when all the trees become bare?  We are though still enjoying the changing of the colors.  Each day brings more changes. Within just one tree a kaleidoscope of colors can be found. Patchwork as you look across the countryside. Gold as the sun shines just right.  It's the topic of our conversations as we are out and about.

This one has many layers as I add and mix paint on my canvas which not only creates subtle value changes but also nice texture.  The more paint I get on the canvas the more mixing I can do and the longer the drying time is when working with acrylics. Here I was working with a brush then switched off to a palette knife and then felt like I needed some softening.  I used a foam roller around the edges for a softer less focused effect, creating more of an emphasize towards the off center area.  I've been continuing the painting around the sides creating some pretty interesting edges.

This painting along with my complete portfolio of available can be found in my web gallery: HERE

or by contacting me: elizabethchapman@artlover.com

Elizabeth Chapman

Contemporary Abstract Artist