It’s been super hard for me to do things with my arms this year, which is one reason I’ve had a hard time painting. The other, is that I’m still working on how to create the right setup for painting in my bedroom. The two issues are related, and there are some other logistical and spacial challenges to solve as well. Oh, and I still have moderate/severe ME and POTS. So, you know, moving and thinking is often hard.
BUT! I’ve had a few moments of inspiration over the last few days. And, in a surprising and delightful twist, it has involved a 24×24″ cradle board – something closer to a comfort size for me. I’ve spent the last two years working smaller and smaller, and it’s really challenging for me. Big has always been in my bones. And it feels good. This is a mid-size painting for me.
I like texture and direct painting. This is a combination of Blick heavy body, Golden Fluid, Golden High Flo acrylics, and a weird semi-fluid blend I made from a heavy body acrylic with a number of mediums. They’ve been applied with brush, brayer, palette knife, and directly from the bottle (Li like to draw with nozzles and with the droppers from ink bottles).
I was able to work on a board flat on my bed, a top a plastic drop cloth and a puppy pad. It worked out well except that when I needed to rest, I had a large painting in the middle of my bed. And there was a bit too much interest from Marigold Dog. But I think I may have finally figured out what my next step of iteration is. Stay tuned!