Sometimes, less really IS more...

.If you know me from my work in fiber, you have heard me say "More Is Better".  

When I create my Stupendous Stitching pieces, I like to cover the entire surface with couching, decorative stitches and embroidery.  This technique creates amazing texture and interest.

But,, when I'm painting, this technique doesn't work as well.  

So I started restricting myself to seven "mark making" steps to created these small 10 x 10 works of mixed media.  This one uses two colors of acrylic paint, a water soluble black pencil, charcoal, black acrylic applied with a cardboard tube, some black acrylic paint applied over a punchinella stencil, lines drawn with a Posca pen, and two circles cut out from a gel plate print.

It seems like a lot but the white background really makes this painting stand out..  But what made me think it was good was when my 26 year old nephew saw them and asked if I would give him a couple to hang in his apartment.  

I don't make art to please other people but having a "hip" young person living in Chicago with roommates and wanting to hang my art on his walls, made this 73 year old artist "cool".  I think I will explore working larger and seeing where this leads me on to my next adventure.
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