Mixed Media Wall Art

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!