Pink Japanese Magnolia Tree in Bloom

Rather than "on" my easel this canvas has just come off of my easel... "Pink Japanese Magnolia Tree in Bloom" is a water-colour pencil painting on canvas of a very large old tree that I'm blessed to share space with in this life. I really enjoyed drawing the tree onto the canvas and moving the flow of water from my paint brushes to enhance the forms! I look forward to the possibility of painting another version of this tree in (albeit exaggerated color) full bloom, as I've enjoyed observing it's growth over a few years now -- a twinkle in its growth span! Due to the diameter of this trees sprouting trunks I can only imagine that it must be 100 years or more in age -- an early example of a hybrid species of flowering trees in America! Add in the fact that this tree is left to chances in a semi-urban environment and it is truly an amazing example of survival, beauty, and luck (or Divine intervention). I've enjoyed this tree a great deal, and consider sharing life space with it as one of the high points of my time living in Indiana.

I began with a double primed cotton canvas. The image was drawn free hand with only 3 colors of Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer water-colour pencils -- Walnut Brown, Wine Red, Phthalo Blue -- then very few black accents were added. The background was enhanced with additional Light and Emerald Green pigment pencils with the Walnut Brown. A Burnt Ochre was then added in areas of the tree for highlight shadow. All of the white highlights (darkened here due to photograph lighting) are the white of the canvas showing through. Once dried for several days after painting I sprayed several coats of a fixative over the water-colour pencil paint, then carefully brushed over layers of acrylic varnish to seal the painting to a finish.

At this point the original painting is not for sale because my dear husband has requested that it remain hanging in our home for personal enjoyment... the BEST payment that an artist can hope for is to have a painting enjoyed!


*Original art images ©Tree Pruitt T. E. Pruitt, unless otherwise indicated. Contact the artist prior to ANY use please.

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Drawing on Change

I had interesting studio time yesterday. I discovered Digitally Imported, which is a site that offers continuous play music -- radio stations without the annoying commercial breaks. There are several ambient stations so I chose a "trippy" Psy Chill then moved to the studio area. An atmosphere was created and it allowed me several hours of uninterrupted focus. I did a drawing exercise where I tried to create a scene from memory and then later allowed for some free flow drawing. The second exercise ended up being a quite detailed combination of two scenes from memory, rather than random free flow drawing. I found it interesting that the pose and scene are similar to paintings I've done in the past, and the figure has a combination of my features with those of someone I know well. This seems very similar to something we do in dreams -- making combination characters. I can't say it holds any particular meaning as a symbol, but is likely the effect of simply being familiar with the forms and values of the imagery.

Another point I found interesting was the style of drawing I'd chosen. I'd reverted to a rendering style I used years ago, in my first full studio. I enjoy the return of drawing in this manner and hope my hand will carry it through to painting as well. Back then I had a greater freedom of space than ever before and everything in life was just about perfect. I was eating up everything art with unstoppable enthusiasm. The atmosphere was charged for creativity and relaxed enough for deep focus. Of course that eventually changed, and the shift was dramatic. That a style of line from back then should come through in my drawing shows that internally I'm feeling much better about my personal environment and healing is reaching a deeper level. I'm very happy that I can say I had moments I'd consider as nearly perfect bliss, but recovery from an extended bought of non-bliss has been a rugged challenge!

Above is a corner of my first full studio, crammed full of projects for the photo.

Life affects an artists art, and it was bound to show through changes of line and style. Though I was already aware of that fact, it didn't stop me from getting frustrated. There's a nasty cycle that goes a little like this...

Something traumatic and depressing happens in life. The artist wants to feel better so seeks comfort from the act of creating art. But because this thing that happened caused the artist as a person to change, the art results change; maybe there's a difference in line, brush stroke, something just doesn't seems to work right. Guess what? That's depressing, and that sense of being bummed out builds upon what was already there, intensifying the depression. During such times it's not uncommon for artists to render with a more tightly reserved type of line than with a relaxed confidence. This can make the person feel as if they don't know how to do it anymore. Some may even think they've "lost the touch" and give up art altogether. The painter Milton Avery said that such persons were never really artists in the first place and they probably made the right decision to stop waisting time. A true artist pushes through those down times, the dark times when creativity or skill seems to fail and the individual is plunged into near struggle rather than finding release in art work. When life relaxes the art work will follow. This is simply a cyle of growth, and it happens in ALL of the arts.

This isn't to say I'm not pleased with any of the work I've produced lately; I don't devalue any of my efforts or triumphs. I felt a familiar comfort while drawing yesterday that had felt lost to me, entering nearly a trance like state of being. Expression through art had become like a religion, offering transcendental numinous experiences; feeling a connection to the Divine. It was like I'd lost faith and it now had returned. I'm trying not to be overwhelmed by this sensation or get caught up in an emotional high; afterall it's not quite that monumental really. There's no flip of the switch, but it's rather more like a spiralling dial. I find myself back at the same spot but on a different level. Only time will show what effective changes -- good or bad -- have taken place. One thing is for sure -- I enjoyed drawing -- and I'm going to go reach for that experience again right now! ;)

*Original art images ©Tree Pruitt, unless otherwise indicated. Contact the artist prior to ANY use or for purchase information.

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Sketchbook vs Worksheet

The following is an entry from an older blog...


If I keep my blogs in any way as I do my journals and notebooks then it's likely to jump around a bit. My "notebooks" would likely be considered as sketch books by many. I don't consider them as such. Notebooks and worksheets work best for me. I'll often make a verbal notation of a scene or idea, rather than a visual image, to keep the mental picture firmly in my mind. Most often a page consists of a mixture of the two. They can be some what messy due to my tendency to grab a book and find a blank spot in a hurry. I do try to maintain some order though I suspect it's an order only I can see at times! :)
I prefer to make notes & worksheets before beginning a piece of artwork. That way I work out the idea but the actual exploration of the subject happens IN the art -- my passion for it is expressed during the creation of the piece. For myself there is always a great danger of burning out early on a subject; A concept has to continue to hold my attention in order for me to commit the time to give birth to it, if you will. If I allow too much early exploration through sketches then sketching becomes what I am doing. The sketch would become my response to whatever it was that urged me to create, and that may likely be the end of it. I rarely work the same subject more than once. If I do it is simply because I've not finished contemplating the topic of origin. On occasion, the first creation will inspire a second piece along the same topic line. So I do have series that I may return to from time to time --just as topics of conversation often arise out of the ashes of the spoken to spark to new life.
There are so very many things to think about that I cannot imagine ever running out of things to paint, or create on any particular subject. It really is quite like an insanity. I mean that light-heatedly, but there is a sharp pang of truth to it. A crazy life seems to be one of the requirements to the job of artist -- they don't tell ya that when ya sign up! :) But I do the best that I can to get through it with dignity, and try to produce the images in my mind's eye.

*Visit also "Pages From My Sketchbook" From Marion Bobby-Evans
* Artist Portfolio
* Above image, "The Traveller", ©Tree Pruitt 1999. All rights retained. Example of a worksheet with both sketch & notes.


*Original art images ©Tree Pruitt, unless otherwise indicated. Contact the artist prior to ANY use or for purchase information.

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Guarding Monk Mummies ACEO Gargoyle Art

Title: Guarding Monk Mummies
ACEO Original Gargoyle Art

This image began as a digital print from one of my sketch book pages. Though there may be other printings of the drawing, this version is unique and one of a kind. The digital print was then hand colored with acrylic paints and quality Prismacolor pencils. Printed on acid free card stock paper, plastic protection sleeve included. Signed as "T P", lower right.
 *NOTE; Image shown is a scan of the actual card for online showing; card will likely be considered as looking much better in person because the printed card has a better resolution than you see here.

*Original art images ©Tree Pruitt, unless otherwise indicated. Contact the artist prior to ANY use or for purchase information.

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Start of Minoan Priestess ACEO Painting

An ACEO is tiny artwork, reproduction or original, in the format of an art trading card. My newest ACEO involves collage again, but a collage of hand drawn images rather than magazine cut-outs. A scan of the drawing stage is included here.

In the center of the card stand the famous Minoan Poppy Priestess, or Goddess. The small statue the figure is based upon holds two snakes in her hands with the heads pointed down, (see image at left). I can't explain quite why, but this feels wrong to me, so I have drawn my sacred serpents heads up. In the sky of my drawing, on the right hand side, hovers a Mediterranean bee in flight. The bottom left shows an upright dolphin, splashing out of the waves of the sea. The lower right corner sits an octopus, referenced from recovered Minoan pottery, and fitted curling into the tiny scene, (shown at right).

When working with paper, it's important to be careful with the graphite. Too much graphite from the drawing pencil, and eraser marks, can stop later paint layers from sticking to the paper, often causing a blurb or muddy looking spot. A spray fixative will stop all migration of graphite, but textured papers can still be difficult to get a clean erase. Pressing too hard when drawing will leave indentations, so a light pressure was used. Notice on the left hip of the figure is out of alignment. Due to the heavier amount of graphite, and the small work space, I'm going to need to correct those lines with paint later. This would have been avoided with better planning before getting started, but this was one of those instances inspired by doodle play; I didn't really know what the picture was going to be when I began. Anything in art can be "fixed" with skill and an open mind, knowing the inward mental picture must be altered to the action taking place.

The first layers of thin paint will pull on the drawing lines and mix with the graphite. With care this can be used to create under-painting tones of shadows and highlight. Fellow artists may find it interesting to note that Prismacolor Pencils also mix slightly into the paint. Notice in the background I've lain in a light color tone of blue and green pencil. The paint softened the pencil strokes and filled in the bumpy textured areas of the paper surface. This was achieved by thinning an already thin bodied acrylic paint 50/50 with clean water. A small medium bristled paintbrush is loaded and white paint floated onto the paper. Working a small area before it dries, the paint is lightly scrubbed into the pencil pigment blending it about; this works with all water media. Each layer after that will be more opaque, and the graphite will mostly disappear to the eye. By keeping early paint layers thin, paper buckle will be avoided, and later thicker strokes will stand out (pop) giving greater depth.

These are methods I use for any sized image on paper, and indeed often when painting my Spiritkeeper Stones too. I wouldn't have considered myself, in the past, to be a painter of miniature art because my Spiritkeepers are something just outside of art to me; being closer to a spiritual experience. I don't think much about size when painting on rocks, but it is obvious the tiny world of art collector cards isn't all too different. Hopefully you'll enjoy seeing how the Minoan Priestess ACEO turns out.

*Original art images ©Tree Pruitt, unless otherwise indicated. Contact the artist prior to ANY use or for purchase information.

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Seahorse ACEO

I've broken the ice and made my first ACEO! Giving myself a little play time the other night, I thought of the monthly WWAO challenge. I'm currently a member of Worldwide Women Artists Online, which is an international collective of women artists showing & selling our original art through the worldwide web. Each month, group leaders pose a topic or subject for each artist to challenge herself with in her chosen media. It's a casual event, shown privately within the group, so it's an excellent opportunity to test yourself with something new.

The theme of the August Challenge is "Nautical". Having lived near the ocean for most of my life, I'm excited that a favorite topic came up.

So with my thoughts drifting towards ocean memories, I began to admire my curio collection. I've a small hoard of flotsam and jetsam gathered over the years. Sitting out on a studio table was a dried little seahorse I'd collected after a Florida storm when I was a child. In between artistic work times in the studio I'm moving my collections into specimen mount display cases. The seahorse was awaiting its new home, but at that moment the shapes begged for exploration. I grabbed a specimen hang tag, a pencil, and doodled out a drawing in play. Sitting back to check out the final line, I liked what I saw. Thinking that it was too cute to tuck away in a drawer, I pulled out my basket of collage supplies.
I got out a stack of papers and quickly selected a few, because I knew what colors I wanted right away. It was GOOD to get back to collage! Sadly, the project was over far too soon, so I'll have to do another right away, ha! The bottom of the tag, where the drawing sets, was perfect to cut off and add to the center of the tag. By doing so, it created a hang tag in the ACEO size!
It simply hadn't occurred to me before to make an ACEO. I often paint small when working one of my Spiritkeepers Stones, though an animal on a pebble is different from a full scene in a mini canvas space; the smallest Spiritkeepers Stone to date is a 1/4" tall baby penguin! I suppose I knew how perfectly addictive the world of the ACEO could become. Look out for more to come because ACEO's are fun!




*Original art images ©Tree Pruitt, unless otherwise indicated. Contact the artist prior to ANY use or for purchase information.

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