57 days of summer

The 2011-2012 school year was officially over at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29th.  During this school year, I've been unable to create as much as I'd have liked so during my 57 days of summer, I plan to create a little of something everyday and document my process and progress.

In May I donated a painting titled, "Juno's Journey"  to Lifeline Animal Rescue located in Atlanta, Georgia. Juno is actually a dog up for adoption in their rescue center.  I chose to make Juno's painting a collage after concluding that she'd been through a great deal during her short time here on earth that had left her homeless; she had a story that was worth telling.  Maybe, just like us, all beings have a story to tell that they probably would tell if they could speak.  I often wonder what my pets are thinking and what they are up to when I'm not at home. 

I've decided to create a series of animal collage paintings to document their life stories.  We're all  composites of our life experiences.  We are who we are because of the things we've been through...isn't this true for our pets as well?  This series of paintings will reflect the stories I think they would tell if they could...some fact, some fictional.


It's day 5 into my summer break.  This is what I've accomplished so far.



I first began by drawing quick sketches of the dogs and outlining them with black paint.

Next, I painted the backgrounds....

A complete under painting was done for each image.  An under painting is a quick painting that is the first layer of a painting that will have multiple layers on top of it.  It is used primarily as a color plan and/or value guide for subsequent layers of paint.  My color under painting will be used as my guide for adding collage.  These may look almost finished but I have a long way to go!

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