I took several weeks in June and July and experimented with acrylics on raw canvas for the first time. I mostly work on wooden panel and paper in my current practice, and it's been years since I worked on canvas. (It's totally a personal choice - I just typically prefer sturdier surfaces on which to paint.)
However, I've never used thinned acrylics on raw canvas, and the experience has been really fun! It's equal parts thrilling and an extreme test in patience, as a lot of the process is waiting for layers to dry. More than once I touched a surface to see if it was dry, finding it to be very wet still, and ruining the area by now having a very visible finger print that needed to be covered up.
It gets quite messy, and-sort of like working on paper-once the paint has touched the surface of the raw canvas, there's really no going back, covering up, or erasing. Part of the nature of the raw canvas is to allow for the inevitable bleeding that happens on an unprepared surface (a very different process than working on a gessoed canvas).
I was prepared with several yards of extra canvas to re-stretch and start over as needed. There was a decent amount of trial and error, as there is any time you learn a new skill. The hardest part was allowing each layer to dry (or at least mostly dry) before adding anything new.
While drying, the paint would continue to bleed and change, resulting in pieces that I didn't feel like I had 100% control over, and it was a bit scary to be ok with relinquishing that control.
I'm thrilled to come away from the sessions with a collection of 11 mini canvases, which will be available in my shop August 12th.
After nearly 4 years, I am finally re-exploring florals in a full collection!
I am excited to be part of Art of Pink in National Landing! My work is part of the BLOOM art exhibition alongside dozens of local artists.
Come check it out Friday, April 11 in Arlington, Virginia!
