Inspiration from Abandoned Places




I've been painting for decades, but never used acrylics or done modern art. I had a tall wall in my living room and wanted to draw the eye upwards and at the same time keep a contemporary clean look to it. I wanted something that reminded me of rusted metal/aged boards/copper verdigris, so I did these two panels. I'm pretty pleased with the effect since I have no clue what I'm doing with plain modern pieces or acrylic paints (I usually use oil). A recent walk around an abandoned place inspired themes of concrete whitewashed walls soiled with rust stains and copper verdigris striping. It's neat to think ghost hunting isn't just productive in gathering evidence, but can also inspire art. I hope soon to start collecting found items from sites and adding appropriate gemstones to amplify the psychometric qualities of the found pieces. I'll keep you posted as I get moving along with that inspiration.

Comments

  1. Autumn, i love your art. I like to get old wooden frames from windows out of old houses and put paintings in each square and also anything can be put in them. Really old houses are a treasure trove for inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As an artist myself, I enjoyed your artwork. Looking forward to seeing more. EllaEnchented - I also like to take old window frames and put paintings or old pictures in each of the squares. I love to visit salvage yards and look at all the cool stuff, especially those pieces from old houses. There are lots of creative treature from them, just like you said......Julie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, ya'all. I was really uncomfortable using acrylics and doing modern, but all in all, I'm pleased with the effect. I want to learn to reproduce the effects of time and weather on stuff at abandoned sites and use items from abandoned sites for things. I just am like a kid in a candy store in wrecking yards and abandoned buildings. When I start collecting items, I'll probably be making things out of them and putting it on the blog. I think love of history and abandoned places goes hand-in-hand with ghost hunting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't think I've ever used acrylics, always oils. But I haven't picked up a brush in ages, so sad...
    Your paintings came out great! Years ago, I painted some similar for my mom who loves modern shapes. Except my lines started in one corner and fanned out to the other corners of the canvas.
    Great work lady!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Sandra. I really love oils because they stay moist and are forgiving, but acrylics aren't so bad if you don't mind doing washes by mixing them with water to layer. For a project like this with a need for texture, they were ideal. I started a painting of river rocks and haven't finished it yet. I have it hanging on my wall, but don't know what to do with it. Acrylics tend to make everything look bloodless. I might try a warm wash over the whole thing. If I ever finish it, I'll post it because it was inspired by a walk along an abandoned building.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cool, show it when you're done.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I also love your art Autumnforest-very cool!! I think that is so great you get inspiration from your ghost hunting-best to you as always!! O and I pick from another dimension for UFOs although like I have said I wonder if the universe is big enough to have all of the different theories.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Devin;
    Yeah, I put another dimension too, even though I have sometimes struggled with the possibility of visitors from the future, but in my mind--that's kind of the same thing. Thanks for the comments. I think I'd like to do a series of textural abandoned-site inspired paintings. I just love neglected things.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thats me also Autumnforest-I love abandoned things -have no idea why-but these old buildings and such really speak to me and it is in a large voice -sometimes it is a beautiful sense of melancholy (I am one of the few people i know who doesnt mind feeling melancholy sometimes -haha) thanks again for your fantastic blog and always getting my wheels going-I am so frustrated now -i want to do an article but am being pulled in like twenty directions-at this rate it will be July before it is up-all the best to you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Devin--yes, make writing a priority. I so enjoy your articles. Even if you do something light, it'd be awesome to see what's going on with those wheels in your brain. :-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment