My Abstraction/Interpretation of a Black & White Walker Evans Photograph of a Sparse Bedroom

Mixed Media collage on canvas - 24" x 36" (?)
(click on photo to zoom in)

While visiting friends over Thanksgiving, I was able to snap a picture of this painting that I sold to them several years back. I don't remember the title I gave it, or the exact dimensions, but I remember I had a great time painting it and it came easily. I remember looking at a photo in a book of the famous photographer Walker Evans. I tried abstracting and interpreting the highly realistic black and white photo with texture and color. 


Does anyone know the name of the original Walker Evans photo? I borrowed the book from the library, then returned it of course. Maybe my current public library has a book with this picture in it. I'll have to check it out. 

Abstract Art Bookmarks Now For Sale - just $5 each

NOW you can purchase my colorful abstract art, in bookmark form. The real deal! - art I paint with a brush on heavy duty canvas - not printed reproductions. These bookmarks measure 2" x 5.5" (same size as a Ticketmaster concert ticket), plus satin ribbon (red, orange, aqua, or purple) through a metal grommet. Each one is unique, yet they are all 'cut from the same cloth' (the same painting). 

A brilliant gift. High quality, original art for about the price of a Hallmark card! 

Tie one on a package, in lieu of a bow. Around the neck of a wine bottle. Pairs well with book gifts. Makes a unique yet inexpensive stocking stuffer, hostess gift, book club gift. They fit in a standard size envelope so easy to include with your holiday cards or business correspondence. 

Limited availability, so buy yours today. 

$5.00 each (plus .50 shipping, within the US)

'Cool' daytime lighting. Click on the picture for close-up detail.

'Warm' night time lighting. Click on the picture for close-up detail.

Email me Mare_E_L_N@yahoo.com with any questions, if you want to order, or if you want to be notified of future bookmark collections' availability by email. 

Deconstructing a Mural

I'm about to blog my next artful endeavor. I came home yesterday with a huge roll of canvas, like a rifle,  propped on my shoulder. As of right now, it's 60 inches by 216 inches. 

Slideshow of Audience Mural at Wonder Works, Oak Park, IL - completed mural

Here's a 2 min, 30 sec (on medium speed) slideshow of the completed mural. Thank you to those who came out to Wonder Works yesterday for the Unveiling. I especially enjoyed the Q&A. 

A museum patron checking out how the mural feels.
See his mom's legs in the mirror - she's running
to tell him "don't touch" but it's ok by me!

Eight Color Entryway - Part 2, One Side of Vestibule - Finished

Plotting out the big shapes.

One coat of paint.  

Color swatches taped up for reference. 

1917 electric switches.

Yay! Two coats! Finis!

Notice my handy dandy mail slot. 

(I have heard of people who have to bike to retrieve their mail.)

(Today's mail.)

My Levi's jean jacket I've been wearing since high school.

Chair I picked up at an antiques shop in Oklahoma,  and painted, ages ago.

Eight Color Entryway - Part 1 -Taking Shape & Applying Color

I begin again by taping off areas - like you might put tape on the floor of an empty kitchen to indicate where the main things (like the cabinetry or the island) will go. Then I draw with pencil within my blue tape boundaries. It's easy to stand back to see the big picture in bold blue tape, but not so easy to stand back and see faint gray pencil lines. So here I go, using the 'oval within rectangle' shape that I used in the Audience Mural.

Here you see one coat of of each, rust color on the left, curry color on the right. The paint is still wet, folks. 

Now adding one coat of plum color to the left, a brown color on the right. 

Here is half of the vestibule painted with one coat of the rust, plum, curry and brown. I almost hesitate to show photos at this point because I admit these colors look pretty 'nasty' with just one coat (as do most deep-hued colors - particularly those with a lot of yellow pigment. Yellow tubes of artist paint are half the price of reds!). I keep color swatches of the 'true colors' nearby to reassure myself - as I would a client looking over my shoulder with raised eyebrows - that the final colors will be gorgeous. 


I'll show you the other half of the entryway vestibule tomorrow. The pink, red, green, blue side.

Eight Color Entryway - The 'Before'

Excited about this project because it is an entryway, where first impressions are made- which hopefully will be 'Wow!' in a good way. 


It shouldn't take me long - not a lot of detail to the design which is a graphic pattern. (I am using one of the Audience Mural seatbacks/shirts as my inspiration.) The trickiest part will be not getting paint on the beautiful wood molding! I don't 'tape off' with Blue Painter's Tape because there is always bleeding. I just switch to a small brush and carefully draw along the edge. I know I'll need to do 2-3 coats per color because of how deep they are. I am only painting the four lower sections, which are each roughly the size of a door. The upper wall will be a shade of white to reflect light into the space. 


The eight colors, left to right, top to bottom, are  shades of: 


blue, orange, pink
green, purple, brown
red, yellow


There is a Part 2 to this project. The entryway (beyond this vestibule) where there are two walls flanking a coat closet. Stay tuned.

Wonder Works Children's Museum 'Audience Mural' - Done! - Unveiling on October 10

Tomorrow, I shall pop in to Wonder Works to sign the mural. The 'official unveiling' is open to the public and takes place on Sunday, October 10, 12:30p-1:30p CST. Will post final photos of the mural, then. I can't ruin the surprise for those who are going to attend that day, now can I! :)

Now I am focusing on painting my entryway, which I've been wanting to do for a long time! I'll show you the eight paint colors I'll be using...

Wonder Works Audience Mural - Individual Audience Members

I am very far along with all 25 faces. Still plenty of touch up work to do - isn't there always! But rather than adding more detail, I am taking away. 

Wonder Works Audience Mural - Balloon Face Example

Here's an example of a Balloon Face I painted on my Wonder Works Children's Museum mural today. I want to get all 25 of the faces painted, then I will go around and edit them. For example, I shall make the ponytail on this audience member a bit thicker. (As they say, it's always easier to add more, than to take away!)


So far, I have about five faces painted. It's always hard to get rolling on a new phase of the project, which is what today was, so I hope to be zipping right along tomorrow. 

Wonder Works Audience Mural - Balloon Faces

Wonder Works Audience Mural sketch as proposed

To back waaay up, above is the original 'cocktail napkin sketch' that I proposed. Below, the upper portion that I am now painting. 

Groups of Seat back/Shirt shapes

(above rectangles are actually not seat backs or shirts)

Wonder Works Mural - Individual Seat backs/Shirts - Patterns and Motifs

Tricky mixing plaids and stripes? Try 25 different patterns, in all different colors. Here are most of the patterns and colors I've used on the seat backs/shirt shapes for the Audience Mural I am painting at Wonder Works Children's Museum in Oak Park, IL.First, I painted all the background colors. In most cases, I needed to do numerous coats to get the saturated color I desired. Now I am painting various patterns and motifs on them using brushes ranging from size 0 liners to 1" flats. I wish the colors were more true to life but as there are no windows in the theater, I have no natural light. You'll just have to come and see it in person! :)