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

Pomerian pet portrait painting

Dazzling custom dog portrait by Bee Skelton

A few weeks ago, I was initially astonished to receive a most unexpected commission for a custom pet portrait, in a style for which I'm not generally known.  I really did marvel at the the confidence the client placed in me, because she knew my usual work, and was still prepared to trust me to do something so completely different.

Little dog Jimmy is a most treasured pet, who holds a special place in the heart of the client and her man.  A spectacularly bright, semi-abstract style was requested.  But it also needed to be a portrait in the usual sense, in that there was to be a likeness to the subject.

I decided Jimmy's sweet face needed to be rendered as naturally as possible as a starting point.  As usual in my portraits, I wanted to focus on the eyes.

Once I felt the little dog's personality was beginning to show, I began to let rip with colour.  What FUN that turned out to be!

Fluffy Pomeranian dogs have long hair, so there was ample scope to play with texture, brush strokes and oodles of thick paint.  Finally my client requested I hide Jimmy's name in the painting for viewers to search for.

I loved being challenged to do something outside my comfort zone.  I look forward to more of the same .... but different LOL!

How to commission a painting.  If you have an idea for a painting you'd like to discuss with me, you're welcome to contact me. 
 You can reach me by email beeskelton@gmail.com or see more work in my Etsy Shop or website www.beeskelton.com

Poppies in Remembrance

Remembrance

11 November 1914 - 11 November 2014:  The 100 year anniversary is fast approaching.  Today I remember my Uncle Fred who fought in World War I.  He came home.  God bless the ones who did not.

Was Kandinsky the first art therapist?

There are times when working with abstract ideas and techniques feels right for me.  It's usually when real life is throwing up lemons, and it's my way of making lemonade.  Productive therapy.

Over 100 years ago Vasily Kandinski said that abstract art had “nothing whatever to do with an object.”  When looking at his work some people would agree.  But it's extremely difficult to achieve true abstraction.  The human mind and eye try to make sense of images in terms they can understand.  Like faces in the fire or clouds, landscapes and flowers too, we often see what we want to see.

I've been working with my collection of painted and found papers together with various mixed media on water colour paper to create these small abstract paintings.  For more detailed information just click on each image.

MM7

MM8

MM9

MM10

    

Cat nap doodling

Cat Nap - mixed media painting - 8 x 6.75 inches

This little snoozy cat mixed media piece started as a watercolour painting that was going no where, but had some pleasing colours that I thought would make a good background for other media.  I softened the colours slightly then added collaged elements of other painted and drawn papers onto it and allowed it to take on a life of its own.  Developed onwards with gouache paint, more detailed mark making with Inktense pencil and fine nib pen and ink.  The idea of the dreamy cat just started to happen. A glorified doodle really.  Doodling is so therapeutic.  If you haven't tried it yet, I can recommend it.

You can email me for information about anything you see.  A small collection of work can also sometimes be seen in my Etsy shop

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Gentle still lifes

MM3

 I've been away from this blog for many months.  In case you're wondering I've been far from idle as studying for a fine art degree has been pretty full on.  So a nice gentle start back here with some small mixed media abstracts that kept me awake one night this week.

MM1

 I never throw anything away.  Small scraps of painted papers formed the basis of these compositions after watercolour washes applied.

MM3

 Left over gouache on a palette for more opaque dense areas.

MM4

Final details added with Inktense pencils.

May be I should work nocturnally more often.  I liked the quiet, dimmed lights and the sense I was working in secret.

You can email me for information about anything you see.  A small collection of work can also sometimes be seen in my Etsy shop. 

Abstract sketch crawl

Strolling around Old Limassol town with a good friend, choosing where to park ourselves for an outdoor art session, is currently my favourite way to fill a sketchbook.

Recently sight of flaking Mediterranean-blue painted doorways, worn stonework and rusting ornamental metal-work, opposite comfy sun-shaded pavement cafe tables, made the choice easy.  Naturally purchase of a glass of white wine or two had to be made to secure tenure of our spot for as long as we wanted.

Water Baby

I've just finished several months of portrait commissions and feel the urge to let go of figurative work for a while to get some abstract art bugs out of my system. So realism is out, and colour and self expression, is definitely in.

This week I kept my sketch crawl kit to a minimum;  Rotring art pen with black ink, watercolour pencils, Inktense blocks, a refillable water-pen, large soft brush, plastic water bottle and an 8 x 11 in water-colour sketchpad.

Though it might not appear obvious, the inspiration for the sketch here was the roofless interior of a derelict house.  I love making studies of the remains of old buildings;  it's refreshing to abstract shapes and simply make marks to express feelings of the moment.

Email me for more information about any of my work.

After the wine

Abstract expressionist acrylic painting, white yellow red

Abstract painting 12 x 9 in by Bee Skelton

A white, yellow and red abstract painting. Acrylics with inks on canvas paper.  Size 12 x 9 inches (30.5 x 22.9 cm)
 Email me for more information about any of my work.

The island is quiet, wounded, holding it's breath before the mass of tourists begin to arrive over the next few weeks.  At least I hope they arrive.  Cyprus needs people to come to enjoy our beautiful island, now more than ever.

Blue Mood - Abstract modern expressionist acrylic painting

Abstract 16.5 x 22 in by Bee Skelton

A blue and white abstract painting with a murmur of red. Thickly textured in acrylics with inks on canvas paper.  Size 16.5 x 22 inches (42 x 56 cm) 
Email me for more information about any of my work.

It feels strange that my family and friends are celebrating Easter, while here in Cyprus it will be several weeks before it's our turn to have Orthodox Easter.  So whilst others are occupied with fluffy bunnies and chocolate eggs, I'm in the studio working on a happy baby portrait and further abstracts in the white series.

Abstract modern expressionist painting oil and acrylic, white blue yellow peach red

Abstract 16.5 x 22 in by Bee Skelton

 This is the first of a series of paintings in which I want to explore the use of white with colour.  The painting is thickly textured with both oil and acrylic paint, together with varied mark making using pencil, oil pastel, pen and ink on canvas paper.  Size 16.5 x 22 inches (42 x 56 cm)
 Email me for more information about any of my work.

I love creating my portrait work, which naturally involves a striving for a recognizable preordained image. At other times I love the freedom of painting in a totally expressive way, without any notion of how the painting should be before I begin.

Painting - After the fire 1

After the fire 1.

Last summer we had a severe grass-fire on the hills around our home.  I took photos on the day, and then some later when the flames had died down. 

This rather dull image features partly fragmented snail-shells and charred earth.  Some of the shell remained light in tone even after the fire.

 I wanted to make a painting of this, so zoomed in on a tiny section on which to base the painting.  Taking a closer look, it was possible to see more colours than I did from the large image; light tones of the mineral calcium of the shell and darks of the carbonised soil.  It set me thinking, that even when things look destroyed and dead, the raw materials of renewal are still present.

Abstract Collaged ACEO paintings

Today I created some more mixed media ACEO paintings. This time I incorporated small torn fragments from one of my printable collage sheets. Then added acrylic paint, pearlised ink, textured medium, metallic pigment in pearl, gold and bronze plus gel medium.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41391
Acrylic paint, gold/pearl metallic pigment, pearlised ink, textured gel medium, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41392
Acrylic paint, gold/bronze metallic pigment, pearlised ink, textured gel medium,paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41393
Acrylic paint, gold metallic pigment, pearlised ink, textured gel medium, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41394
Acrylic paint, gold metallic pigment, pearlised ink, textured gel medium, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping.

A Small Addiction

I'm in danger of getting hooked on making these tiny paintings. They are so much fun to do and some are giving me ideas for larger canvases.

The texture on them is crunchy, thick and many layered. I love the almost sculptural effect of the moulding paste.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41091
Acrylic paint, moulding paste, gold metallic paint, gold metallic pigment, pearlised ink, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
SOLD

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41092
Acrylic paint, moulding paste, gold metallic pigment, pearlised ink, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
SOLD

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41093
Acrylic paint, moulding paste, gold metallic paint, gold metallic pigment, pearlised ink, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
SOLD

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 41094
Acrylic paint, moulding paste, gold metallic paint, gold metallic pigment, pearlised ink, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)

What is an ACEO?

An ACEO is a miniature piece of art, the same size as a playing card, 2.5 x 3.5 ins (65 x 90 mm). The acronym stands for Art Card Edition or Original. They can be a reproduction of an original piece of art, or the original art itself, and can be made using any medium the artist chooses; paint, fabric, embroidery, paper, canvas, etc etc. The only stipulation is the size.

ACEO's are wonderful because they are a means of collecting original works of art at an affordable price; a gorgeous burst of colour to cheer any dull day, which won't burst the bank. They can be displayed singly in a frame, grouped in 2's or 3's, or why not make a collection and stick them onto a canvas to create your own original abstract grid painting.

I only offer original works of art (no prints/reproductions), small and large. Here are a group of my latest ACEO's, which are full of crunchy texture and colour.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 407091
Acrylic paint, textured medium, gold metallic paint, bronze metallic pigment, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 407092
Acrylic paint, textured medium, gold metallic paint, gold metallic pigment, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping.

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 407093
Acrylic paint, textured medium, gold metallic paint, irridescent pearl pigment, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping

ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA ACEO 407091
Acrylic paint, textured medium, gold metallic paint, irridescent pearl pigment, paper,gel medium on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
$12.95 plus shipping

ABSTRACTS in miniature

After finishing the last painting, which was the largest I have made so far, today I went to the other extreme with these tiny abstracts. I used a variety of media including acrylic paint, gel medium, paper, moulding paste and metallic medium on thick mount board.

ABSTRACT ACEO 307093
Acrylic paint, metallic medium, paper,gel medium, moulding paste on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
SOLD

ABSTRACT ACEO 307092
Acrylic paint, paper,gel medium, moulding paste on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
SOLD

ABSTRACT ACEO 307091
Acrylic paint, paper,gel medium, moulding paste on thick mount board
2.5 x 3.5 inches
(65 x 90 mm)
SOLD