Art Swap Collaboration

Last Autumn I was invited to get involved in an art swap with a small group of other artists connected to the OCA (Open College of the Arts)  It felt like a good opportunity to be in touch with old, and new student friends, even though I'm no longer officially a student. It also offered the refreshing opportunity to create small, spontaneous pieces, totally different to the commissioned paintings I mostly make.

Each of us was to put forward a group of 5 random words to inspire a postcard sized piece of artwork.  We were instructed not to look at our given words until ready to do the work, so that inspiration would be immediate, and not over-thought. I might have cheated, if I hadn't been too busy at the time.  So the words were relegated to the 'I'll get around to that later' place on my laptop. Then, when for various reasons the timing for the process was extended to the New Year, it seemed like I had all the time in the world, and promptly forgot all about about it.

 This week, when Ange finally sent the DEADLINE APPROACHING! style email, I was up to my eyes in paid work, finishing a couple of portrait commissions with a queue of others waiting.

After 30 seconds of panic, I realized a little time off for good behavior was just what I needed.  I make three categories of art; paid work, experimental/learning art and just play. 

 Playtime began with a cursory look at each set of words. I deliberately didn't over analyze and merely expressed the first reaction to how the words made me feel. It seemed most of the word-sets had notions in common with each other. I decided to work on 4 of the pieces together, using the same large piece of paper as a support to collage onto.

Media used; torn painted and drawn papers from my stash, drawn/painted into using acrylic paint, inks, graphite, soft pastel and oil pastel. After some interesting things started to happen, I made a postcard sized aperture in a piece of white A4 paper, providing a template to isolate the compositions I wanted to develop. Further mark making followed. After cutting out the small abstract compositions, the remains of the large partly developed support has been added to my stash for the next time I want to play.

One set of words resonated differently to the others; a cry from the heart. And this I worked separately.  I hope the art swap wasn't too stressful for this collaborator and that she has as much fun as I did in the end.

It’s weighing on my mind.

Collaboration: Ingrid & Bee

Fly away on gossamer wings.

Collaboration: Alison & Bee

Iron ore vein Dark Dangerous

Collaboration: Mark & Bee

Whispering halfpenny water

runs aimlessly

  Collaboration: Ange & Bee

 

Summer’s dying lines Autumn’s cloak.

Collaboration: Catherine & Bee

How to commission artwork by Bee Skelton.
Send Bee an email.

 You can reach me by email beeskelton@gmail.com or see more work in my Etsy Shop or website www.beeskelton.com

Sketchbook and collage

Oil pastel sketch and mixed media collage work in progress

An unusual selection of work in progress on the easel today, as a result of a visit to town with a friend to view the exhibition of a young talented local artist.  Followed by lunch at our favourite eatery.

I quickly sketched the colourful starter plate with oil pastels on canvas paper.  Now it's propped on the studio easel with three collages I'm in the process of making.  So far on a hard board support I've used acrylic paint, cut and torn painted papers and drawings from my stash together with sketchbook ephemera.  I've a feeling today's food drawing may find it's way into a collage.

 

DRINK ME Alice in Wonderland inspired collage

Alice in Wonderland and the bottle that says 'Drink Me'.  Decisions! Will she? Won't she?  Of course, if she hadn't, it would have been a whole different story. 

As you can see, I've again been playing with a collage background and painting folk art style imagery onto it.  I'm liking this Alice with her wide eyes and indecisive mouth.  Her squiggly hair is kind of cool too.  

For more information please click here.

Home Sweet Home mixed media painting

I'm back working with the collages I made recently.  They make interesting backgrounds on which to add folk art drawings and paintings.  With this one I took a drawing of a little house from my sketchbook sticking it to the background, then painting it to look like a stone built rustic cottage.  To me the background looks like a fantasy abstract landscape. 

For more information click here.

Girls best friend

I've painted this happy little dog-walker, with green striped top and red shorts, onto another collaged background.  I like her skinny legs and equally skinny dog.  

If a man's best friend is his dog, then I'm four times blessed.  I didn't set out to have a dog pack, but that's how it's turned out ... and as for the 2 inside cats, 1 outside cat, with one pending.... just don't go there!


Each have joined the family in a variety of circumstances, but all were following their near death experiences.  As each one arrived and wrapped themselves gratefully around their first meal chez Skelton, we avowed each time that they were absolutely the last four-legged additions the family would be getting  ....  till next time ;)


Teddy we rescued as a tiny traumatised puppy from the centre of a main road 8 years ago.  We suspect unbelievably, she'd been dumped from a car.  Choo Choo was found in almost similar circustances a few months later;  Sally was found senseless on the motorway, after being hit by a car, and Daisy was dumped by hunters on the mountain where we live....  I won't describe or publish photos of the thick metal collar she was wearing when found, nor her festering flesh protruding through the gaps in the tight links, it's too sickening.  Suffice to say these horror stories have happy endings, their lives have been transformed for the better and so have ours.

Mummy Angel folk art

Yesterday I played with more little whimsical folk art characters in my sketchbook. This Mummy Angel, patiently presiding with folded hands and extended wings, spoke gently to me, so I painted her onto a collaged background.

For more information you can click here.




The sketchbook is becoming steadily more populated with other wee folk, all jockeying for attention and loudly calling for their turn to get gussied up with colour and a fantasy life of their own. Fun stuff! :)

Alice in Wonderland - Art Workshop

You may remember a few weeks ago, a friend and I had a ripping time making collage! Yesterday, I managed to push enough of the studio-mess towards the walls, to squeeze 2 of us in for another workshop. A different friend this time, who has never in her life considered making art. I don't think she really believed me when I promised she'd be making art to be proud of.

She is a mathematician/physicist and, she won't mind me telling you that her only memory of art classes at school, was when she was required to draw a chair. As she was only able to actually see 3 chair legs from her viewpoint, her logical mind got totally banjaxed, was unable to deal with the invisible other leg, and that was that.

I could have explained that Picasso would have understood her dilemma, and if we hadn't had other stuff planned, we could've Googled some of his paintings to demonstrate how he dealt with showing things from all angles, all at the same time. Instead we helped ourselves to some seriously colourful self-expression of our own, with acrylic paint, paper ephemera, gloss acrylic medium, heat transfer printing and handmade papers.

We had such a good time. It was so brilliant to see my friend's excitement when she realised she'd created something really stunning! Next week she's off to the framers.

'Alice in Wonderland' is one of my original whimsical folkart collage paintings inspired by the book / film. She's a character with a funny little face, who started life as a sketchbook drawing, and was then applied to a collage background, where she stands very prim and proper.

Walking & wall art

It was Sally's turn to accompany me to the beach this morning. As we headed west the sun was feebly doing it's best to polish the sea. The coastal path looked messy and forlorn. Sally sniffed the winter storm debris suspiciously.

We passed by Ancient Amathus; the main archaeological site is across the coast road, but I snapped a pic of this small excavation right next to the sea.

It was fairly quiet with just the odd jogger passing now and then. I saw a couple of swimmers making mad dashes for the waves and decided they must be tourists as every self-respecting expat or local is still sewn into winter woolies.

As we reached the Old Amathounda Harbour Wall, a bare-chested adonis was doing vigorous press-ups on the pebbles. He stopped when he saw us and decided to to take a leisurely stroll instead. eyeing my scarf and sweater as he passed. Did I imagine that slight smirk on his face. Sally chose that moment to decide she too had had enough physical exercise for one morning and turned for home.

I'm not working in the studio today, but below are 4 collages I finished yesterday; SUNSHINE, WONDERLAND, MUSIC, RHAPSODY.

Collage Past & Poetry

I've finished two more collage; 'Inspired by the Past' and 'How Do I Love Thee'. One a simple backward look and the other equally simple inspired by something rather more profound.

Quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning;

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways .

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.”

Collage Collective

WELCOME
Mixed media collage
4"x4"

My arty friend Carole and I got together in the studio last week and set about making collage. We had such fun! Threw lots of paint around and cut and stuck stacks of painted and found images. Inbetween we laughed, drank red wine, cooked and ate a good old Cyprus favourite, Fasolia Yiahni (see recipe below).

I don't know if it was the wine or the collective enthusiasm and inspiration, but a lot of work got done. I've continued to refine and add to what I started that day. Can't wait to see what Carole has made.

Here's the first one of mine completed. It's 4"x4" mounted on a gorgeous piece of 5"x7" art paper.

This is how it might look when framed.



Fasolia Yiahni

Ingredients
2 cups dried haricot beans (washed)
2 large chopped onions
2 medium carrots (optional)
1 celery stick (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley for decoration and taste (optional)
2 fresh lemons

Method
Soak the beans overnight in water (covered with at least 4 inches of water as the beans will swell). You can add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda as this helps soften the beans.

Drain and rinse and put the beans in a casserole pot covered by at least 2 inches of water and bring to the boil for ten minutes taking care to remove the scum.

Drain beans, return to pot, add boiling water (get this ready when boiling beans), turn heat down and simmer for about 30mins or until beans are soft.

While waiting for the beans to cook fry onions, garlic (optional carrots and celery) until golden then add tomato puree, stir and cook for a few minutes then turn off the heat.

When beans are ready, add the onion mix to beans and if necessary add a little water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30mins. If there's still a lot of juice, take the cover off and cook for a further five/ten minutes as this will reduce liquid.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon, good crusty bread and salad.

Kali Orexi! Good Appetite