Angela Recada's Bleeding Heart Studio

Two more leaf/tree landscapes

2011-11-17T14:30:00.007-06:00

Wisconsin Landscape

acrylic encaustic mixed media collage with leaves

on 12 x 12 wrapped canvas

There was enough bright natural light today, so I was able to finish the last two landscapes I'll be doing for a while. I gave them an acrylic (faux) encaustic finish, so they would have a muted, organic look and better match the painting in the previous post.

(detail)

Wisconsin Landscape

acrylic encaustic mixed media collage with leaves and grasses

on 12 x 12 wrapped canvas

In this painting, I added some of that texture I love, as well as a few pieces of dried decorative grasses from our garden.

(detail)

Here's a photo I was able to take of the tree leaf/tree landscapes outside a few days ago. The painting on the left already has the acrylic (faux) encaustic finish at this point, but the other two did not yet have it. The faux encaustic definitely tones down the acrylic colors a bit, as you can probably see in the photos above.

Using leaves as trees

2011-10-20T11:57:00.005-05:00

Wisconsin Landscape

acrylic encaustic mixed media collage with leaves

on 12 x 12 wrapped canvas

I thought it would be fun to experiment with some of the gorgeous fall leaved I had dried. So I decided to see how they would look as trees in this piece. The gold represents golden corn fields, and the purple line on the horizon represents the ever-changing colors of Lake Michigan. The piece has an acrylic encaustic finish, both to protect the leaves, and to give it a more organic look and feel.

(detail)

click to enlarge to see details

(detail)

Some simple landscapes

2011-09-27T12:25:00.001-05:00

Horicon Marsh

The Wisconsin countryside has inspired me to try my hand at some landscape studies. All four are acrylic on 12 x 12 wrapped canvas.

Horicon Marsh

Wisconsin landscape

Portrait of Mr. C

2011-06-30T12:30:00.017-05:00

Mr. C
acrylic mixed media
on 16 x 20 wrapped canvas

Here, finally, is portrait #4 in my family portrait series.

(detail)

Like the other family portraits, it has lots of texture and many layers of acrylic washes, many of which were wiped back to create layers of color. This burnishing not only created rich, warm colors, but it also creates an almost encaustic wax-like sheen.

(detail)

Each portrait tells a little story, too, and on this one I included collage elements relating to his job as an engineer.

So here are all four portraits, together at last. All are on 16" x 20" gallery wrapped canvas.

Portrait of Mr C

Self-portrait

Portrait of Katrina

Portrait of Chris

2011-05-05T12:02:00.000-05:00

Portrait of Chris

acrylic mixed media

on 16 x 20 wrapped canvas

Here, finally, is the third of four family portraits. He is definitely the philosopher of the family, and the details of this portrait reflect that fact.

(detail)

In case you haven't seen the two previous portraits, I'm posting them here again. I'm pretty happy with how these three paintings look together.

Portrait of Katrina

self-portrait

I promise it won't take as long to finish the last family portrait!

Uncovering fossils

2010-09-28T08:22:00.001-05:00

Fossil #1 (detail)

mixed media

on 4"x4"x1-3/8" wrapped canvas

I have three more little canvases to show you. I find this small size very challenging, because there is nowhere to hide. Every part of the small canvas is important. It's like comparing a short story or poem to a novel, when I compare a small canvas to a large one. In a poem or short story, every single word is important and absolutely essential.

Fossils 1 - 3

mixed media

on 4"x4"x1-3/8" wrapped canvas

Creating these fossils was an interesting adventure. I applied many, many layers of paint, gently rubbing the surface between each layer.

(detail)

The result was a very soft and burnished look which resembles encaustic.

(detail)

I really love the richness and complexity of the colors, as well as the textures.

(click on any photo to enlarge)

I'm really starting to enjoy working in this smaller size. And I really, really like the flexibility you have in displaying little canvases like this.

Three little abstract landscapes

2010-09-15T10:20:00.002-05:00

Three new little 4"x4" paintings with lots of texture.

"Interior Landscapes"

acrylic, found papers, oil pastel

on 4"x4"x1-3/8" wrapped canvas

The image wraps around the side of each of these little paintings. There's lots of texture, too, due to the found papers collaged into the paintings.

Click on any image to enlarge it, so you can see more detail, if you wish.

Self-portrait - 2010

2010-07-20T14:45:00.005-05:00

self-portrait 2010

acrylic mixed media

on 16 x 20 wrapped canvas

This is part 2 in my family portrait series. Last year I did quite a few self-portraits because I found that experimenting with different techniques was more interesting when I was painting something quite familiar to me - my own face.

(detail)

I've used a variety of textures and many washes of pigment to give the painting depth and interest.

(detail)

Portrait of Katrina (reworked)

2010-06-22T14:43:00.002-05:00

"Portrait of Katrina"

(reworked)

acrylic, mixed media, collage

on 16 x 20 wrapped canvas

w/black sides

This is the finished version of the painting I was reworking (see post below). I've added collage elements and texture, as well as almost completely reworking the the figure itself. Varnish will bring out the colors and textures more, but I like this more subtle look, too.

(detail)

I'm really loving the versatility of acrylic more and more, the more I work with it.

Work in progress . . .

2010-06-22T13:03:00.002-05:00

"Portrait of Katrina"
(before)

I've been working again on this Modigliani-inspired portrait I painted a few months ago (click here for more information about this version), and I'm quite happy to say it no longer looks anything like this.

I've decided that last year was my year to be openly inspired by the some of my favorite artists. In the process, I learned a lot - about art and about myself.

But, it's time to move on.

I'm looking forward to the rest of my journey through art and life. Stay tuned.

Textured abstract

2010-06-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

"The Fullness of Time"

(detail)

This is a highly textured mixed media painting, with textures derived from found papers, modeling paste and extruded acrylic gesso.

"The Fullness of Time"

mixed media

on 11 x 14 wrapped canvas

Textures from plaster cloth

2010-05-11T10:28:00.002-05:00

"Lingering in the Shadows"

mixed media

on 11 x 14 wrapped canvas

The texture in this piece comes from plaster cloth. Some sections were left rather rough, while others became very creamy from the wet plaster.

I really like this piece displayed both horizontally and vertically.

(

(detail)

Click on any of the photos to enlarge them to see the various textures and colors.

Spring flowers in acrylic

2010-04-20T15:09:00.002-05:00

"Trilliums"

acrylic

on 8 x 10 canvas board
SOLD

(detail)

"Bleeding Hearts"

acrylic

on 8 x 10 canvas board

SOLD

Spring Sampler

2010-04-07T08:50:00.000-05:00

"Bluebird Fantasy"

acrylic and mixed media

on 8 x 10 gallery wrapped canvas

This little sampler painting started out of frugality. Rather than have it dry up, I used a little bit of modeling paste which was left in a jar and smeared it on this canvas absentmindedly one day. When I looked at it a few weeks later, I saw the bird and flower shapes, so I rubbed in and wiped off various layers of paint onto the modeling paste.

I tried a variety of techniques on the background, most of which were covered up by other techniques I wanted to try. It was a very satisfying project, to be free to just experiment and not worry about the results. It wasn't about the composition, it was all about texture and color. (Click on photos to enlarge a bit.)

(detail)

I like the way the elements continue on all four sides.

And I like the way the crackle medium makes the sunflower and blue bird look almost like old cracked porcelain.

(detail)

Exploring colors and textures (part 2)

2010-03-10T09:24:00.012-06:00

"Energy (#1)"

mixed media on 8 x 10 canvas board

This was another experiment, focusing again exclusively on texture and the manipulation of layers of colors. The acrylic colors were applied and wiped away, leaving some paint but also revealing the layers beneath.

I'm really enjoying these kinds of experiments.

For my first exploration into texture and color, click here.

And because we often learn things when an experiment seems to go awry, I'm showing you this next piece, as well. If you click on it, you can enlarge it, so you can see the details which I really like. It has the layers of colors I find so appealing, although they don't show up here as nicely as they do in real life.

"Behind the Gilded Facade"

mixed media on 8 x 10 canvas board

I also wanted to see what would happen if I embedded plastic mesh and natural fibers into modeling paste.

"Behind the Gilded Facade"
(detail)

Fun. Fun. Fun.

:0)

Illustrations

2010-01-30T12:33:00.002-06:00

"Erda"
(Mother Earth)
mixed media

"Erda Greeting the Midwinter Sun"
mixed media

detail

Exploring color and texture

2009-11-06T14:58:00.007-06:00

(detail)

"Milieu"
acrylic
on 16x20 x 1 1/2" wrapped canvas

For more information, please visit my main blog (here).

An Invisible Woman: Perception and Reality

2009-10-28T12:13:00.011-05:00

"An Invisible Woman
Reality: My light shines from within"
self-portrait
(detail)
acrylic
mixed media collage
on 8 x 10 canvas board

"An Invisible Woman
Reality: My light shines from within"
(detail)

"An Invisible Woman
Reality: My light shines from within"

"An Invisible Woman
Perception: As relevant as yesterday's newspaper"
self-portrait
acrylic
mixed media collage
on 8 x 10 canvas board

"An Invisible Woman
Perception: As relevant as yesterday's newspaper"
(detail)

The Self-portrait Series

I am an invisible woman
I, II, and III

An invisible woman

2009-10-19T15:06:00.005-05:00

"I am an invisible woman"
self-portrait
acrylic and collage
on 8 x 10 canvas board

(detail)

(detail,
egg-carton papier mache heart)

(detail)

Walnut Ink Portrait

2009-10-05T08:13:00.001-05:00

self-portrait
walnut ink on 9 x 12 watercolor paper

Flora Schmetterling in papier mache

2009-09-03T08:42:00.001-05:00

Flora Schmetterling
(detail, front)
papier mache
recycled plastic water bottle, cardboard,
newspaper and paper towel

Flora Schmetterling
papier mache
naive folk art

Flora Schmetterling

(back)

Kat a la Klimt

2009-08-28T11:23:00.001-05:00

Kat a la Klimt
acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas board

detail

inspired by Gustav Klimt
portrait of Fritza Riedler (1906)

portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907)

Me a la Modersohn (and mummies)

2009-08-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

Self-portrait
August 2009
acrylic on reclaimed 12"x16" canvas board

inspired by
Paula Modersohn-Becker
(left, self-portrait, 1907)
based on Egyptian mummy portraits
200-400 B.C.

detail
stained, crackled, antiqued

a la later Chagall

2009-08-07T08:47:00.000-05:00

self-portrait sketch
Caran d'Ache on watercolor paper
August 2009

my inspiration

a la early Chagall

2009-07-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

self-portrait
oil pastel on cardboard
July 2009

my inspiration
(Marc Chalgall
1914 self-portrait
oil on cardboard)

Early self-portraits

2009-07-16T07:47:00.001-05:00

watercolor self-portrait
October 2008
searching for meaning and purpose

Caran d'Ache self-portrait
July 2009
Me a la Modigliani

my inspiration

Experimenting again, and it feels great!

2009-07-15T09:56:00.001-05:00

"Daisy Rose"
watercolor crayon

crayon

"What if Mermaids were the Angels of the Sea"
watercolor
Environmental Folk Art

"Pebble"
watercolor
Environmental folk art

"What Would Frida Say?"
Inktense
Environmental Folk art

In the past . . .

2009-04-17T11:49:00.005-05:00