in the studio today.

Bon Vivant

Acrylic on 36" x 48" canvas

SOLD

It's a large figurative abstract painting that is presently on the easel.  I was working here from an old black and white photograph, instagrammed: here.  I was attracted to the setting of a group of people dining and enjoying each other's company.  Included in the photograph was my grandfather from Venezuela, Rafael Vegas (another link:here) and great grandmother  Falligan (didn't know her first name). My grandmother Simone Falligan, who would later marry Rafael is taking the picture. The photograph was taken in France…thus the title "Bon Vivant"--- enjoying good food and drink.

What else is going on in the studio today?  well, I am moving….

for the last five years, all abstract paintings where produced in this upstairs/bedroom studio.  As you can see…a small space.  This side of the room is my office and in the closet is my paint cart with supplies needed for packaging kept on the top shelf of the closet.   The cart was purchased a few years ago as way to keep all my paints safely put up from and locked away from an active toddler grand daughter.  She was the reason that I moved up to this room in order that her parents and her could have their own space.  The table that you see in front of the bookshelf is also used for painting. (didn't realize her rocket ship was left laying there)  It is much like an extension of my easel.  When I really become involved with a painting, the canvas will often end up on this table where I can turn it and work from all sides.  This is when my pug Gigi will take off running, as she hates the sound of it.

As Penny has grown up, I've been able to move all those jars of paint back on the table, where they are lined up warm to cool colors. This has been so very helpful, as I paint intuitively and need to be able to grab the next jar of color that comes to my mind without having to dig in the cart. Here you can see the latest painting on the easel. The one on the other easel that  is turned is the completed "Sponta" (last blog post).  I have it turned so as to not have those colors influence the painting I'm working on. On that back wall is where I have hung paintings that were too big for the easel. Lots of paint on that wall! The little bitty painting is Penny's!  Under the table is a storage bin that my husband built for me.  It stores all of my completed paintings on paper. The short table by the door is Penny's play dough/studio table. I have been instructed  that I must make sure and move it too!

The packing it up process has begun and will probably take a few weeks to complete. Moving upstairs was not something that I wanted to do.  I had grown attached to my studio downstairs, but it was all being done for the right reason.  I am thankful for a gift that I can use in order to have my own business and spend time with what I love best…family.  Don't get me wrong..I LOVE creating painting beautiful abstract paintings, but  keeping priorities priority is more important. This room was covered with a drop cloth canvas in order to protect the carpet.  That will be removed as the room is painted and restored into a bedroom.  These small footprints of Penny (around 1 year old) were a mother/daughter project which will be cut out and saved.  Thinking, I will quilt and frame them.  Along with this will be many photos found while packing, of this time in her life that will be put together in a scrapbook.  Perhaps, Aunt Elsie would help?

I suppose to someone who paints with so much emotion as I do,  it should come as no surprise that I should become SO attached to a studio.  Visualizing the new space, making plans, moving stuff and writing this post are all a part of saying my farewells and helping the process.  I am now looking forward to the new studio! yay!!  It won't be a lot, a lot bigger but it will be more space with much better lighting.  And yes,  I will share pics of the new studio!  For those working out of a small studio or those of you who are not working because you don't feel as if you have enough space, I will leave you with this, Leonardo da Vinci once said, "An artist's studio should be a small space because small rooms discipline the mind and large ones distract it."

So there you go…

To see all the abstract paintings that have been produced from this studio, visit my gallery: HERE

Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Artist