Out of the Box 2014

Out of the Box Entry 2014

It was the beginning of June and I had just finished my North River Arts Society "Out of the Box" (OTB) entry for 2014.  Of course, you aren't reading this until August or September because the artwork had to be submitted anonymously, and I could not post this blog until the event bidding was complete.

For those not familiar with this bi-annual event, (which happens to be one of my favorites), participants received a uniquely numbered panel that measured 8" x 8".  The challenge was to create a work of art in any media, preferably a creation that isn't typical for the artist.   The artworks were put on display at NRAS at the OTB party and a silent auction sheet accompanied each 8x8 inch square.   It was fun to try to guess which artist produced which piece. Even though the media or subject may be intentionally atypical, painters tend to have a signature style that is all their own, (whether they admit/realize it or not.)

Did I really shake it up and get "outside the box?"  Not really.   The difference was that it was an outdoor floral still life, not my usual genre.  Oh, but it was oil, so no anonymity there.

The subject was my neighbor Rita's purple iris.   At the time I painting this, it was the tallest element in her side garden which borders my garden.   It kept catching my eye in the midday sun.   The petals that were lit by the sun had a pinkish yellow tinge, but the petals that were shaded by other petals were pretty shades of bluish purple.   The bud for the next blossom sat just the full bloom on the same thick stem, ready to take its turn.

I don't know who won the bidding, but I'm told that it was bid upon, and thus it has a new owner.   As many an OTB painter knows, it's a relief to see that your entry has at least one bid!  Haha.

Out of the Box 2012

Vezina Out of the Box Entry 2012

I love a challenge and with the North River Arts Society's annual event, "OTB," (Out of the Box) it is as much fun to create something as it is to see what other artists come up with.   Back in the day when I had no time to paint, I would see art I liked and think, "I could do that."   The truth of the matter is, I couldn't do "that" (another person's art) then, and I can't do it now.   Every decision and every stroke is personal and no two paintings or painters are alike.   With age I have come to appreciate the uniqueness of efforts and results of other painters.

As for OTB, the challenge of shaking off the tried and true, venturing into an aspect of art that is not typical for a person, is just the kind of exercise that brings out an intuitive response and result. 

I'm writing this blog in mid-July and not publishing until September because part of the fun of this event is the anonymous silent auction.   The 8X8 inch squares are the only common thread from artist to artist. These are numbered and bidding takes place during August without the bidder who did which piece.   Trying to guess which artist did what creation is so much fun and I can't wait to see the names revealed.

I always enjoyed tiling and have my own tile cutter.   I have tiled kitchens and floors and I love the tile section at the hardware store.   That's where I got the idea for my OTB entry.   I picked out a neutral 6x6" tile and some 1x8" trim with a plan to fit the tiles together onto the 8x8" gatorboard surface.   I chose a watery theme - water lilies - and commenced my painting.   I really liked the hard surface of the tile, although the paint was sliding off on the first session.   Since the paint was not getting absorbed into a porous material, my impression was that it looked brighter and lighter.   I'd say that I came back to the tile painting about four times in total.   I also dabbed a few pink and green highlight dots on the trim tile.

For assembly I decided on the direction of the trim tile pattern and measured.  Each needed to be 1x7".   That measurement allowed a herringbone pattern along the edge. I traced the 6x6 tile onto the gatorboard for a nice, centered placement.   The pieces were then glued to the gatorboard and the tile.

The bidding now over and we get to see if we won the pieces we bid on, and the artwork's creators will be revealed.   I plan to get back to the NRAS to check it all out!