15 July 2019

Honourable Mention for Breathing Mountain

Breathing Mountain
by Marion Hedger
Acrylic
80x80cm on 4cm box canvas

I was thrilled and honoured to receive an honourable mention in the LightSpaceTime 555 exhibition. Although I didn't make it into the top ten, I did make it into the top 20 in the painting category. Thank you LightSpaceTime for the honour. Click here to see the winners

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13 July 2019

Totem Paintings in Progress

Two of the for totem painting

I've had the idea to do some totem (long and thin) for a while now. I so many blank canvases and partily finished canvasses I couldn't justify new ones of the right size for yet another project trial.

I found four unfinished 30x60cm canvasses, which would make two 30x120cm (12"x48") paintings, and the project was born.

I drew a different design on all four of them and painted right over what was there, with similar colours on all of them. The above photos show how far I have got and I felt they are nearly done.

However, I don't like them.

I will reveal how I am changing them in a future post.

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11 July 2019

Taking Risks


Work in Progress
40x40cm on box canvas
Acrylic


Sometimes you nee to take risks to challenge yourself. This one started off conventionally with large blocks of colour, orange and light blue, and then smaller different blocks of colour on top letting some of the first colour show through.

I looked at it and thought "Why not go for it and drew some thick black lines and a circle . From there it gradually evolved to where it is now going more instinctively. I didn't overthink it and just went with the flow.

I enjoyed myself painting it and I am pleased with how it has turned out so far. Still some work to do, mainly tidying it up and looking at values, but it worked out quicker than many more of my more 'thoughtful' paintings.

Is the motto, "When it feels right, just go for it?"

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13 June 2019

The Perks of Art Fairs




Making art is an isolating business. It's very nature means, that on the whole, art making is a sole activity spending lots of time alone creating.

Participation in art fairs is one way of meeting other artists and potential collectors, making you feel part of the community. It's a way for the general public to actually meet the person behind the art and allow the artist to communicate and show their human side.

One of the lovely bonuses for the artist, is receiving nice compliments and having some quite off the wall conversations. I am sharing some of the lovely comments I received at the Sussexwest art fair.


I appreciate each and everyone of these comments and it always gives me a lift that people have taken the time to leave one. It's also satisfying to know that my art has touched someone.

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31 May 2019

A Nice Encounter



I returned home from two back to back artfairs in Newbury and Goodwood about a week and a half ago to a non-functioning internet, grrrhh which made even sending and receiving emails difficult, and forget about updating any sites and social media! The good news is, it started functioning again a couple of days ago, so fingers crossed I can now catch-up with all those things essential to being an artist.

 Art Fair Teething Problems
Both fairs were in new locations and the footfall could have been better at both. At Newbury the organisers gave out the wrong postal code and there were serious roadworks happening which also made it difficult to get to the venue. At Goodwood, the signage to the event was poor and the organisers gave the wrong closing times on some of the printed media. Such are the joys of attending art fairs. The true joy, of course, is in the comraderie of the artists and the  lovely conversations with the art lovers.

A Nice Encounter
One nice moment was when a gentleman, who was drawn to the colours in my paintings, stood in my stand looking for quite while studying them intently. I assumed he was another artist looking for clues on how I painted.

I started talking to him and he told me that he didn’t like abstract art but there was something about mine that drew him in. So we had a long discussion about what had drawn him to my paintings and that owning art is all about liking/loving what you see and wanting to live with it.

 I told him about how I try to draw the observer in and keep them ‘entertained’ on closer inspectiion. We had a lovely discussion.

He came back a couple of more times and also showed his wife. Unfortunately, no sale but, perhaps, I have created a chink into his ‘I don’t understand abstract art’ attitude and he will slowly start to appreciate it.

It’s these moments that make the hard work wothwhile.

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30 March 2019

Living in Mystery

LIVING IN MYSTERY
by Marion Hedger
Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
Finished with varnish and 
a layer of wax to give a nice sheen that addes additional depth.
80x80cm x4 cm deep

"The contrasting shapes and differences between the solid and ethereal areas can be used as an analogy of the differences in rock and sky or how life works, sometimes very sure and other times more uncertain perhaps when we are trying new things."

Contrasting paint treatement

This painting uses both flat areas of paint and soft scumbled areas to give an interesting contrast.

I used to be a fan of scumbling when I first started using acrylics many years ago, but haven't done any for while. I used to attack the canvas with vigour using a bristle brush barely containing any paint. It'd take a while to get the right effect using one colour on top of another, but I was often away in the 'zone' and wore down many a paint brush. The beautiful soft effect and colours achieved was worth the time. I couldn't quite get back to the zen part with this painting but like the ethereal effect which contrasts nicely with the more opaque and trasparent paint areas.

PS
 I still have some of those paint brushes laying about - what can I say, I'm a hoarder.

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23 March 2019

New Work - Going Larger

BREATHING MOUNTAIN
80X80cm (32x32inch) on 4cm deep box canvas

I am gradually adding my new paintings exhibited at the Surrey Contemporary Art Fair. This is one of the larger ones at 80x80cm. I have to be practical when working larger to make sure the painting doesn't exceed 80cm so it can fit in the car. I can go a little longer, so I might try a few longer ones for the next art fair.

In this painting I was trying to move towards using larger blocks of colour, with good contrast between the lighter areas and darks. The jewel colours of turquoise and orange intially draw your eye in but the sublety in the darks as well as the whites, keep you entertained. Here are some close-ups to show you the details:




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