Reflective Hearts

Getting ready for Reflective Hearts 

 
_____________________________
 

A little preview:

"Reflective Hearts Spirit Guides"  
24" X 46"
acrylic on carved plywood
 

A bit about my process for this piece.....

I look for plywood with grain that looks interesting or just a slight grain as in birch.  After getting the plywood home I usually lay out how I want it cut and my husband and I work together measuring and figuring out how to get the most from what I have purchased.  While cutting up the wood last month we kept avoiding one piece because of the line of knots on the back. After all the wood was cut,  piled up and ready to be taken to the studio I spotted the avoided piece and saw something that caught my eye. Not only did I like the knots in the wood it was warped perfectly!  I set the piece up on the easel and pondered it for a while. The idea came to me when I laid it on the work table, picked up my carving knife and began carving around one of the knots.  It certainly looked like a heart to me.  The rest of the day I saw hearts everywhere.  I know it's not even Valentines Day but on my walk with the dog that day, trees, branches, moss, all having the shape of hearts would just leap out at me.

Here's a photo of roots I found on one of my walks you just can't deny it, HEART! 

I know, when you start thinking of something you find it everywhere. I assume because of the show Reflective Hearts, I have hearts on my mind.  Not a bad thing, so if I think of love I will see it everywhere, right?

I carved around the top and sides of the piece giving me a chance to create a 'frame' effect.

The heart-knots became faces so when I viewed the work from a few steps back they appeared as spirit type figures.  The rest of the work flowed but I want to be subtle when I create, you get to use your imagination also.

Please enjoy the progress pictures to follow:

Adding color

_____________________________________

I will have many new pieces at the show and will try to show progress reports as I go along.  Sometimes I just forget to stop and take photos.

I hope to see each one of you at the show.  However that's not realistic because some people on my newsletter list are as far away as Japan.  

So, just stop back often and I will try to keep you entertained!

________________________________________

You can see my work and Miriam Durkin's at 

www.cielcharlotte.com

Ciel Gallery - 128 East Park Avenue - South End Charlotte, North Carolina
Phone: 704.496.94174
~
Thank you for visiting.

FaceBook:
https://www.facebook.com/randysartstudio

Website:
www.randyleibowitzdean.com

NEW AND IMPROVED:

www.randysartstudio.com

 'Change Your Mind'

Complete! 

Set up through August 30, 2014 at the Ciel Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina

www.cielcharlotte.com

 'Change Your Mind' is an interactive, installation consisting of 17 pieces; 5 acrylic paintings on carved wood hanging on wall, 

11- 8” X 8” and 8” X 10” carved and acrylic painted pieces 

and a 5’ X 4’ painted canvas on table top.

For the table top of 'Change Your Mind' I had some help!  My students from UMAR arts center primed the 5' X 4' canvas.  

Our classes are held at the Ciel Gallery in Charlotte, NC

www.cielcharlotte.com 

where we have plenty of room to lay out the canvas.

Painting the canvas at my studio in Matthews:

And then the official picture taking....so professional, 

nice toes, right?

The artists and staff from the UMAR program also helped with the priming of puzzle/ path pieces. And making sure the pieces worked after I carved and painted.  

Great Group.

 www.umarinfo.com

If you would like to sign up for my newsletter; http://www.randysartstudio.com/contact.html

Continuing progress on my project for the up coming show:
'One image; Two interpretations' being held in August at the 
Ciel Gallery, South End Charlotte, NC   USA
 
www.cielcharlotte.com

The paintings are on the floor of my studio.  The best place for me since I must continually move them back an forth to the painting table.

I showed some photos of the beginning carving and planning on a previous post.

Here I show the painting and more carving.  I had fun getting photos at odd angles to show the depth of the carving.

I will post more as I continue. 

'Change Your Mind'  by Randy Leibowitz Dean

This the beginning of a new project consisting of 5 paintings, 8 painted pillows and a large painted mat.  I won't even explain I will just post my photos as the project progresses.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

to be continued........

'Transcendence'

Some highlights of the process of 'Transcendence'.  Not included is the work on the linoleum cut for the print on this piece.  I will add that later.  I did not take photos of my glass cutting that will have to wait until my next piece.

I really take my time picking out the perfect plywood for each piece.  Some plywood actually has a layer of glue, a deep rich brown color that I like incorporating into the finished piece.  Also, some rougher plywood can have interesting layers that are almost haphazard in the way they come out as I carve.

In 'Transcendence' I used a high quality 3/4" birch plywood and added framing to the back for hanging. I carved, then used a linoleum cut with oil base inks to print onto the wood.  Layers of carving and painting, then carving deep to add the glass pieces. I do use different sanders to smooth out certain spots on my work.  Of course time looking at the piece from a distance helps me tremendously.  I added gloss varnish only to the areas I wanted to shine, giving it a wet look in just the right places.

I did not have the end result in mind when I began carving, allowing me to evolve with the ways the wood took to my different tools and strength...or lack of.  

 

After I dusted this off I added the linoleum cut print and painted.

There is always that time of doubt in the process, isn't there?

 Almost ready to add the glass.

'Transcendence' by Randy Leibowitz Dean

In process.  On the easel.
'Transcendence' incorporates, printing, wood carving, painting and inlaying colored glass.  

The layers of plywood become fascinating to me as I carve.  I plan on more glass inlay and more painting.  

Details: