Hi you all!
I have had a busy week, moving furniture round and trying to get my stash reorganised, not an easy job. Now it is tidy, and I threw out a big sack of bits and bobs which am sure I would have been able to use sometime, but for which there is unfortunately no space in my little apartment. Before the big clean out, I knew exactly in which pile I could find stuff, now I can't find anything. But I have made a resolution to put labels on all those tidy drawers and boxes, in the hope that I will find my way around sooner or later.
For Paint Party Friday, hosted, as always, by Eva and Kristin, I have once again re-purposed some old canvases, each 15" x 7 1/2". After painting the backgrounds with light colours I did some stenciling with a CWS stencil and then used some templates I cut myself to draw the shadow figures on the canvases, before painting them with black acrylic. Some of the figures need a second coat of black, which still has to be done. I found a pile of old letters in my stash, which were written on very thin airmail paper back in the thirties and forties, and which are, unfortunately, disintegrating, so after copying them, I glued some fragments onto my canvases.This letter was written in 1945. At first I wanted to paint over them, but decided to leave them as they are. This is my way of trying to conserve these fragments. I have called this set of pictures 'Light, shadows and fragments of the past'.
This picture shows them in place on my kitchen wall.
I am also linking to the 'three Muses' challenge - use script, text or type, and to
Our Creative Corner - words.
Have a good day, take care, and thanks for coming by!
Love this val - beautiful colours and style, and a great idea with the script fragments and shadow people! Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeletevery beautiful work today! I like the shadow figures. Nice to clean out.
ReplyDeleteAwesome collection, great design!
ReplyDeleteLike them very much. The old letters almost looks like bubbles and it somehow makes them look like they are underwater. Nice way to preserve the letters. Love the silhouettes. hugs, Donna
ReplyDeleteYes, they do look like bubbles coming up from the sea-bed!
DeleteAt least I know I am not the only one, who cleans up and then can't find things! I have little items I want to use, but then have no clue where they are! Such a wonderful painted canvas! Love the three separate panels and the silhouettes add so much depth! Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteAh, I think this happens to a lot of us. Mostly I find what I am NOT looking for!
DeleteYou knock my socks off! Valerie this is art - the colors are gorgeous the design wonderful! The dark figures are haunting. I am not sure if they are from the past or looking back at the past. I am somewhat amused by your statement "old letters from 1945" as I was born in 1944! I do think this is a wonderful piece and would definitely hang it!!
ReplyDeleteSandy
Yes, that's my generation too!
ReplyDeleteThose were the days when we used to write airmail letters! Super canvases Valerie, they look great hanging together. Well done on your clear out, I really must do the same, I have more bits and bobs (rubbish) than I'll ever use. Xx
ReplyDeleteWouaouh! Valérie! This is AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteI love these powerful colors and the contrast with the black shapes.
Even if my preference goes to the two without any silhouettes...
Well done, explosive and expressive!
wow.. geniale Farben ..das ROCKT Valerie!
ReplyDeleteHappy PPF!
Love your silhouettes paintings, Valerie, combined with the letters. Could each couple have met as a result of correspondence in the 1940's. a sort of precursor to online dating?
ReplyDeleteHmm, I will have to think about it, and do a sequel next week....
ReplyDeleteWonderful canvas, love the silhouettes, the imagination runs wild at how the letters could bring them closer. Its very brave of you to actually throw some bits and pieces out, have a gold star and go to the top of the class.
ReplyDeleteYvonne x
Yes, the downside of being tidy and organised - we can never find what we really, really need!
ReplyDeleteThe most amazing use of stencils and I just love the touches of text peeking through.
Wishes
Lynne
Wonderful work. The silhouettes are awesome. Looks like they are wearing bell bottoms from the past. Nice colors too Valerie. Great job! gloria
ReplyDeleteStunning Val... love the shadow figures on the bright and beautiful backgrounds... they look fabulous together as well...
ReplyDeleteJenny ♥
These look fabulous! I love things arranged in threes and playing on a theme.
ReplyDeleteWonderful canvases Valerie and a great idea to use some of the letter parts to keep them in a different way.
ReplyDeleteI tidied out as well recently and still keep going to the old places for stuff. It odes look and feel better but doesn't feel as organised to me :( I bet we both get used to it soon lol
Love Chrissie xx
I just hope I get used to it before it gets messed up again!
DeleteWow,das sieht genial aus,tolle farben,gefällt mir seeehr gut.
ReplyDeleteGLG Jeannette
love the silhouettes
ReplyDeletethese look great! love how you did the backgrounds, and the silhouettes look wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful paintings. I love the colourful backgrounds. The old paper reminds me of stalagmites and stalactites or seaweed and the silhouettes look amazing against the colours:) HPPF
ReplyDeleteGorgeous backgrounds! The range of colors is so vibrant and exciting. Your old papers are treasures. It's a beautiful way you have preserved them.
ReplyDeleteVery striking with the black silhouettes on the colorful background. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful canvases, Val. Very stylish and love the colours! Hugs, Barb
ReplyDeleteLove this, the colorful background is perfect with the silhouettes!
ReplyDeleteI love the stories that these silhouettes tell. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteYes, I love these beautiful silhouettes on a lovely background! Wonderful!
ReplyDeletethese are so intriguing, and I love how they look together. Beautiful use of color and the silhouettes. Happy PPF!
ReplyDeletethese are absolutely GORGEOUS Valerie and I so love the title you gave them!! I bet they make you smile every time you pass by them on your wall in your new apt. Happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteLove the body language on your silhouettes.... looks like they're really leaning in and having juicy conversations!
ReplyDeleteThese are really stunning Valerie, I love the silhouettes and the letters are fabulous! Not sure if the figures are old or new, very haunting, like it wants to say something that must be hidden in those old letters. I just love your art! ~Diane
ReplyDeleteHow I love those new neon paintings and the silhouettes are gorgeous! I think it is the best idea to label a new arranged area ;) ♥ Conny
ReplyDeletehttp://piaromsartjournaling.blogspot.de
Love these silhouette folks, nice re-purpose and your backgrounds really link everything together so well. xox
ReplyDeleteLove the colours the three together tells a story, Great work.
ReplyDeleteWow you made some great stencils, love your paintings. The fun thing about reorganizing is I always find stuff I didn't even know I had anymore. The bad thing is, I can't find the stuff I know I have.... So yes, labels might be a good thing =)
ReplyDeletexx Monique
Wonderful, love the stencils, colors, old letters - everything! :)
ReplyDeleteHope you manage to get to grips with your new storage system soon!
ReplyDeleteWell done for actually managing to chuck stuff out!!!!
Love these pieces they are so striking.
Karen x
Oh this is just so amazing and you have inspired me so much to preserve some of my mothers letters in some artwork... Wonderful... Such a great idea!! Beautiful work I love it!!
ReplyDeleteHugs Giggles
I would hang this on my wall. I just love everything about it!
ReplyDeleteEach picture is striking and says so much, but combining them in your montage makes a beautiful work of art. I love simplicity, and each picture has so much value and emphasis from (apparently) simple elements. And every one a perfect composition.
ReplyDeleteI have been back and looked at them a few times before commenting and enjoyed every time, lovely to just drink in.
Lovely artwork!
ReplyDeleteI love your painting - I have letters my mom got from her French penpal in the 40's - I am inspired by what you made. Love those silhouettes.
ReplyDeleteWOW!! Just look at all that wonderful color. I love these.
ReplyDeleteHugs~
Absolutely stunning! From the glowing colours of your amazing painted backgrounds to those great silhouettes, but most especially the addition of the words from those airmail letter fragments - these canvases are glorious. And I love the title you've given them too. Astounding work. Thanks so much for playing along with us at Our Creative Corner.
ReplyDeleteAlison x
I had the same problem after cleaning and rearranging my craftroom - I didn't find anything! (What a "reward" for trying to be less messy...*lol).
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen wall looks fantastic!!! Great painting and collaging! And the colours are wonderfully vivid!
Thank you for joining us at OurCreativeCorner!
Claudia x
Beautiful use of stencilling and colours in your lovely wallhanging and a great way to preserve those special letter fragments. Thanks for sharing this with us at Our Creative Corner. Margie x
ReplyDeleteAlso gratuliere ich Dir jetzt auf Deutsch oder Englisch zu Deinem Einzug in die Top 3 bei "Our creative corner"? Du bist sehr mutig in Deiner Farbwahl, das finde ich wunderbar! Ich persönlich bin da viel zu "schüchtern" . Deine Bilder sind sehr ausdrucksstark und die Silhouetten sowie Auszüge aus den Briefen sind sehr gelungene Einfälle! Prima!
ReplyDeleteLiebe Grüße
Manu
Congratulations on getting in the top three! I am not at all surprised.
ReplyDeleteSandy