Mixed Media – Page 5 – The Consulting Artist

A New Kind of Commission

Most of my painting is driven by me, by what I want to paint. Usually when I am commissioned to paint for someone, it’s as a result of them having seen my work and wanting something similar.

Recently I was commissioned by a third party, to paint a sketch for someone’s birthday. We exchanged a few messages about a possible design, before I was asked ‘Could you paint a turtle?’ I’d no idea, having never done so before, so I offered to give it a go.

The answer appears to be, ‘yes I can’. My client and the eventual recipient are both really happy with this work, as am I. It’s not a subject I would have chosen, and I am really pleased that on this occasion, I was asked to try something new and different. It was a useful reminder to be open to the possibilities. For those of you who may be interested, this is a sketch in acrylic paint on rough 300 gsm paper, laid on top of a simple watercolour wash.

Long Distance Letting Go

I’ve been in Melbourne, Australia for a few days, mixing business with pleasure. In addition to my consulting work and catching up with a few friends, I made and placed a few art drops.

I started with a couple of small pieces of kindness, which are a pencil and water colour note on the reverse of a postcard with a Winged Heart print on the other side. I noticed racks and racks of bicycles in the city and I used a couple of these as temporary easels to place the art.

I also painted a piece of Winter Ice plus an untitled piece – a kind of floral/plant like abstract.

I left the Winter Ice on Bourke Street and when I returned to the scene of the crime about 90 minutes later, it had gone. I Instagrammed the second piece, which I placed on the other side of the city at the Shrine of Remembrance, and on this occasion – the finder contacted me to let me know they had the art. I really appreciated that.

I made one last piece, which I forgot to place so I’ve brought it back to London to leave locally later in the week.

I often find it difficult to place the art and walk away from it, letting go is hard. I felt this very strongly when the project first started (self doubt – who is going to want one of these…?), and I really noticed this feeling returning strongly while I was away. I guess that at home, people now know about the free art drops. They seek them out, often letting me know when they’ve been discovered, whereas on unfamiliar territory – they are once again unfamiliar. Will anybody want them?

Winter Ice

I am continuing to adapt the elemental art idea. I recently blogged about Autumn Fire, and this new collection, titled Winter Ice – is a variation on that theme. I painted these images overlaying various shades of acrylic paint, finished with silver leaf.

Winter Ice : I and II are sold. Winter Ice : III was left as a piece of free art in Reykjavik.