Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Soft and Rusty

I was looking around the studio today as I was tidying up and the soft rusty shapes and papers that I have been making caught my eye.

I love the gentle colours and the looseness of the shapes, and the warmth the rust adds.

Each piece also brings with it its own serendipity - never really knowing what might happen.  I think it's the alchemy in it that I like.




As a calligrapher type person, this series of rusty nails is just begging for lines of writing somehow. It is a long thin piece.


One of my favourite rusty bits is some old chain I have around - some thick, some thin, some long, some short. I like how not all of the chain touches the paper, the marks are more ghostly somehow.


More of the rusty nails, but not as regimented this time.  Somebody saw this piece, it is also long and thin, and said "it's a tumbling poem". And I agree!  I can see more words tumbling down...


I have Alice Fox to thank for sharing the combination of rusty objects, water and tea. I have enjoyed my experimenting with making these marks and I hope I can use them and make them something beautiful, yet something Fiona.

16 comments:

  1. these, for me, are the very finest examples of what i love about watercolors... but they are more organic, more unpredictable, more wabi sabi - which makes them even more divine -
    i am feeling a need to try this myself -

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi MJ - it is a lovely thing to do - and often because you can set it up and leave it for a bit. Not every piece is beautiful but it is generous in what it gives you I think. So good to see you back on line - take care.

      Delete
  2. They are gorgeous, each and every one of them! I love the soft tones and the combination of warm greys with bluish ones. Delicate, elegant and evocative. You just raised the bar for me, Fiona.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ersi - your work is wonderful! I am fond of the bits where they bleed - often I think I add too much tea and want to keep squeezing, but then the results appear and I like all the extra bits.

      Delete
  3. Beatufiul... love the tumbling poem!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Valerianna - they captured it perfectly didn't they?

      Delete
  4. I can see why you're drawn to this series of papers, with their intriguing geometrical marks. When I saw those left by the row of nails I instantly thought of book spines...I love learning the different imagery conjured up by the artist/other viewers, and now I am imagining the words of a poem falling upon themselves in your 'tumbling poem' paper.
    I just had a look at your last post as well, and was struck by how your Peace Tree has changed in the past couple of months - what a lovely way to mark the season's passage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lisa - others too have seen the book spines, altho I didn't at first! Like you I can imagine these words falling down upon themselves a they tumble down the page...it will be fun to work with that one.

      Delete
  5. The soft colours and the bleeding lines of the objects make these papers just gorgeous Fiona.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are pretty delicious aren't they Helen? They have a real warmth and gentleness too I think.

      Delete
  6. Your rust and tea experiments are lovely, especially the tumbling poem..... with or without words.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Robyn - it is a lovely piece just as it is you are right. But the image of a tumbling poem is perfect isn't it?

      Delete
  7. It seems some of your photos have disappeared Fiona...tho' I can see the paper ones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear Jo - I hope they have re-appeared? I can see them, but maybe I'm the only one!

      Delete
  8. These are gorgeous marks Fiona. Almost like looking down the telescope at living organisms!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooh, what an interesting thought Lesley! Like muddy pond water...

      Delete

I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.