Study in Red -- Abstract Painting Hot Box

This painting is about the color of emotion. It was created with layers of transparent color, crimson, red, and magenta. Yellow and orange are bundled together in geometric shapes. This painting is on a 20x24 gallery wrapped canvas with finished edges. Contact me at smallimpressions@hotmail.com for purchase information.

Distractions Series Continues

Working in a Series

When I purchase stretched canvas, I always order in bulk because of the quantity discounts. Keeping canvases on hand in a variety of sizes serves my impulses since there is almost always a canvas handy to accommodate my inspirations. But, the side effect is that boxes of blank canvases take up a lot of storage space and they serve no purpose sitting in the closet with nothing on them. So, instead of beginning with an idea and then finding a canvas that matches my intuition, I decided to start with the canvas and find inspiration to fill it. I began by counting blank canvases and inventorying the sizes. To my surprise, I had a dozen unused canvases in sizes 18x24, 20x24, and 24x30. So, the first in a series I call Distractions was created. The abstract design in this post was developed on an 18x24 inch stretched canvas with acrylic paints and mediums. It will not be available for purchase until the series is finished. I plan to create five or six more paintings in this series that consists of warm colors, geometric shapes, and texture. When the series is complete, I will post information about availability. Until then, you can still purchase original small format paintings from my Etsy Shop or reproductions of my other work from my print shop.

Signature Series Abstract Painting

The second in a series of abstract paintings inspired by the beautiful calligraphy of the handwritten signature, this painting was created using acrylic paints on a 9x12 inch stretched canvas.  Reproduction prints and posters of this painting are available here, in my abstract gallery at Fine Art America.  The first in the series is also available.  Check out my entire portfolio by visiting this gallery.

South by Southwest Abstract Painting

Working with the lines and circles motif, I'm still creating my latest abstract series.  This image was developed with mixed media and acrylic paint on a 9x12 inch stretched canvas.  As I worked, my mind kept gravitating toward the colors of the Southwest, turquoise, yellow, and orange.  Scribbles and swirls of paint and charcoal with a few strips of patterned paper combined for the finished painting. Fine art reproduction posters and prints of the image are available here, in my Fine Art America Abstract Gallery.  I hope you will stop by for a visit.

Rings and Circles Abstract Painting Series

The second in my series of rings and circles abstract paintings took a while to post, but here it is.  I'll admit it; I've been procrastinating.  I've had a new laptop for months, but don't like installing software. A history of installation trouble kept me from moving forward.   So there--my excuse for irregular posting.  Today I finally did the work and put the software on the new laptop.   I guess there are no more excuses.  Information about this original painting, reproduction prints, and posters are available from my website.  I hope you will visit.

Circles

On the road for the past month, my travels have created a big challenge for keeping my followers updated on my work, but I'm finally home and it feels good to get back to my usual routine.  I created this original 16x20 inch abstract before my travels began.  I was inspired by of Jane Davies and the abstracts she creates.  We have a lot of similarities in our work and a lot of differences.  It seems we are both intuitive in our creations and work with organic shapes, colors, and designs.  However, from my research, it seems she works on paper most of the time.  My work tends to be on canvas.  If you explore our work, I think you'll see some of the similarities and differences that I discovered are apparent. Reproduction prints of this painting are available from my gallery at Fine Art America.  I'm working on some companion pieces in this series which I will be posting soon.

Orange and Blue

Mixed things up today with some acrylic paint and charcoal.  I love the contrast between the orange and teal and the textures in this fun little abstract.  The painting is available up to a size of 37x48 from my website.  I love the miracles of modern photograph that can take the original 8x10 painting and make a beautifully detailed reproduction in a great big size!

Swirl Series

As promised, here is the second painting in the Swirl Series.  This one is called "Texture."  I love the thick, swirling paint and the texture that was created with palette knife and brush.  So much color fun!  Reproduction fine art prints are available here.  You can also see my other abstract paintings by visiting the abstract gallery at my website.

Cleaning Up

It is official: This March has broken the record--most rain ever in the month of March for Western Washington.  As I watched it pour down this afternoon, I decided it was time to clean the studio.  It felt pretty good.  While I was at it, I ran across a delightful pair of abstract paintings that went to the Juried Show at the Washington State Fair a few years ago. They were framed in matching gold frames and are delightful.  I dusted them off and took a few photos.  This one if now for sale as a reproduction fine art print at my website.  I will be uploading the other in the next few days. The originals are going up on the wall.  It is time for a change.  Bright colors--no more rain!

Color Scrap Abstract Painting

This painting is called Color Scrap because it resulted from my playing around with color, stamps, chalk, and ink on a scrap of watercolor paper.  It was a fun experiment.  I rarely paint in watercolor anymore, not for any particular reason except that my studio is set up with easy access to my oils and acrylic paints instead.  On this occasion, I noticed a block of watercolor paper which hadn't been used in a long time sitting against the wall. I grabbed it to experiment with some home made stamps and linoleum cuts.  It was just plain fun experimenting.  When I finished, the block went back against the wall without any further intention.  Then, this morning I noticed it again and I liked what I saw.  Photographing it resulted in a really exciting abstract painting.  Reproductions are now for sale from my website.  Please visit here to explore sizes and prices.  There are quite a few reproductions of my abstract paintings in the Abstract Gallery.  I hope you will stop by.

Paint Mood

There is nothing more fun on a gray winter day than to play with paint:  bright, colorful, I-am-happy paint.  A swish this way and a slosh that way and my mood always feels upbeat.  Producing this red abstract painting consumed part of my afternoon and gave me some good energy. Good medicine to  forget the gray ugliness of February in the Northwest.  Reproductions are available from my website here. Also some of my circle abstract paintings are available from Fine Art America.

Swirling Spiral

A little color, a little swirl, and a lot of drippy paint--it was fun creating this squiggled swirl that twists and turns.  Fine art reproduction prints are available in sizes 6x8 inches to 24x30 inches for a room that needs some spark.  Click here to view availability of print types and a full range of sizes:  canvas prints, framed prints, art prints, acrylic prints, metal prints, and greeting cards.

After Midnight Abstract Painting

Today's work shows I'm back to using paint, my favorite media.  As I painted this abstract I kept hearing Eric Clapton's song, "After Midnight" playing in my head.  I think it means that this painting is about being young, having fun, and, as the lyrics go, "we're going to let in all hang down."  It was wonderful to slap some paint around, feel loose, easy, and comfortable.  Fine art prints, reproductions, and greeting cards are available for purchase from my website. Hope you will visit.

Temper Tantrum

Summer is quickly passing.  I hope everyone is enjoying the season, relaxing, and recharging their batteries.  I've been doing some of that myself.  In spite of the title, this painting is one that created a lot of pleasure as I painted it.  Splashes, swirls, and lots of color were fun and allowed my creativity to exert itself.  The original painting is 9x12 inches, but can also be purchased in larger sizes in the form of a canvas print, framed print, art print, acrylic print, or metal print.  The most exciting part for me is that I can also offer this painting in the form of an iphone case.  It makes a really cool iphone case. Click here to view purchase options.  Hope you continue to enjoy your summer and take some time to relax.

Summer Morning

Sometimes planning just doesn't work.  I try to be organized when creating a painting.  Sketching thumbnails, creating value scales, and choosing appropriate colors in advance is the way things are supposed to work.  When I paint with oils, that seems to be the case, but when I paint with acrylic paints, some kind of crazy mind altering vibrations seem to take over.  I'll spend the morning planning, preparing, and doing all the things I know should happen for a successful painting.  Then I paint and it doesn't work.  I wipe out the work and try again.  It doesn't work.  I wipe it out.  Finally, I figure I've ruined a canvas, so it doesn't matter what goes on it.  I start to doodle with shapes and colors and something magical emerges.  This abstract painting is the result of one of those days when the muse took over and I quit thinking.  If you are interested in purchasing the original 8x10 acrylic painting, please contact me at smallimpressions@hotmail.com. This painting is also available as a canvas print or art print in a variety of sizes up to 23.5x30. Visit my website to make a purchase. Or click here.

Underground

One of the things that I really like to do when creating is to combine representational and non-representational work.  At the top of this canvas is a landscape, but the foreground became the underground where flower petals, mud, roots, and all kinds of structures took over.  It was fun to mixed it up with color, texture, and design.  The painting was created using acrylic paint on an 11x14 inch canvas.  Contact me at smallimpressions@hotmail.com if you are interested in purchasing the original.  Greeting cards and fine art prints on canvas, paper, and metal can also be purchased here from my website.

Playing with Color; Playing with Texture

This is one of my recent adventures with color and texture.  It was fun blending colors, shapes, and texture.  When I started it wasn't clear where the painting was going to go or what would be created, but I am pleased to say that this is the result.  The work is 11x14 inches on a stretched canvas.  Fine art prints are available for purchase at my website, Nancy Merkle Fine Art.

Sunsplash Abstract

 Today's painting is a new direction for me.  I've always loved color, but I've never done much experimentation with abstract images.  This image was created on paper with acrylic paints and modeling paste.  It was fun to play with textures and colors.  The painting is not on an archival surface as are most of my works, but it has been preserved digitally and art prints up to size 36x48 inches are available.  Don't worry, if you don't want something that big, you can also purchase it as a greeting card. Check out the sizes and prices here where you can also view a larger image of this fun abstraction.

Fire and Ice

There is a story behind this 24x30 inch abstract.  It starts this way:  Last week I took a much needed vacation to Central Oregon, one of my all time favorite places to visit.  I had planned to do many things:  paint outdoors, hike, take lots of reference photos, bicycle, and relax.  First day there, I enjoyed a delightful mountain bike ride through the desert scrub of the Central Oregon landscape.  There is a lot of dust, scrubby pine trees, and rocks.  It was glorious until I hit a rock that threw me off the bike.  I landed on my knee and that was the end of the ride.  I limped back about a mile to the end of the trail.  With a fractured tibia, the rest of my plans went on the shelf.  Today I am back home.  I wanted to paint something large that would help relieve my frustrations at the slow pace I now keep and the loss of a well-deserved vacation.  The result is this painting which I call Fire and Ice.  It is metaphoric on many levels as you might imagine.  Prints are available here.