One of the key goals of my redecorating last year was to create space for more art. I hoped to find pieces that I really love and to showcase things that I made.
The space over my server in my dining room is one where I hope to find a painting that I love. We've actually been looking for something new for that space for about 3 years. There is one piece we found about a year and a half ago that I wish I'd bought. Otherwise, nothing has been quite right.
The painting I had here before is now in my living room so I was faced with a big open space in my decor. I decided to create a mixed media space as a 'for now' piece.
When I first put this mixed media painting up, I didn't love it. I really didn't like it. The background of mostly turquoise shades and a little yellow and gold, I really liked. I'd added the circles created with 5 different stencils using heavy gel medium colored with Stampin' Up! reinkers. The circles didn't seem to fit and the red/rust ones particularly jumped out. They seemed to take over the room and I wanted a more subtle piece.
So I remembered what I'd learned about mixed media canvases from Christy Tomlinson that you need to use some of your foreground colors in the background. I started adding subtle touches to the background. I would take it down and go back up to my craft room, add a little more paint/gel and then back up on the wall. Over the next couple of days, I finally landed on the number of layers that made me happy. One thing I learned years ago when doing mixed media is that the key is knowing when to stop. When to say 'when.'
I think I stopped at the right point and I like the piece. I still don't love it but that's fine. It is a place holder until I either find a painting I want to purchase or create something new for the space myself.
One thing I did learn is that I really like the portrait orientation for this space. The first thing that hung here was a square wall quilt I made when we built the house. Next I had a landscape oriented painting. I think this 30x40 size is a good fit.
And guess what? I had to really clean up my worktable to fit such a big canvas on it. That inspired me to get back to my papercrafts. I have a scrapbook page on my worktable in process!
Thanks for visiting today!
