thoughts on wildflower abstracts

Implementing productive habits or sticking with one activity for very long has never been my strong suit. School, jobs, books, maintaining a clean house, diet, exercise… the list goes on, and yet, I always return to painting (and Netflix crime documentaries, but, that’s another topic for another day). These acrylic & mixed media Wildflower Abstracts are a darn good reflection of my scattered tendencies.

 Over the last year or so, my watercolor Gilded Deserts have become my signature pieces. Cactus, rocks, flowers and shrubs under washy skies with plenty of detail and gold; the desert has my heart and painting it always feels natural. When painting a landscape, there is a theme from the beginning. There is a plan. Thought goes into perspective and proportions right from the get-go. I even know how many layers each one will need before I start. 

Painting these abstracts has felt completely different. There is something extremely satisfying about diving headfirst into a painting without plans or expectations. There are still proportions, composition, and balance to consider, but they appear slowly and organically through layers on top of layers. Preserving the special parts while covering up the not-so-good. Re-assessing the shapes and colors frequently and working through the frustration that "something isn't right" until arriving at the (often surprising) realization that it is finished!

 I will be releasing a small mixed collection this month. There will be a few mixed media Wildflower Abstracts on wood panels accompanied by more Tea-Dyed Deserts. The wood panels will be wired and ready to hang with no framing necessary (this is super exciting for a gal that has worked with watercolor on paper so long). This will also be the first time l release such a mixture of paintings so there are nerves and doubts, but oh, how I hope you love them as much as I do!

If you think you might be in the market for some desert or abstract love for your walls, join my Collector's List. The monthly emails usually have some fun goodies and subscribers get a whole day of pre-release shopping!

 Thank you so much for following along and reading my artsy ramblings. Leave a note so I know you were here. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Bethany