I've had a lot of little changes in my life this fall and have had to come to terms with some health issues, but overall, I'm a very lucky lady. And I even found a little time to make some art before Christmas - most of which was gifted to others. I did the little 8" x 8" painting here - done in acrylics and mixed media. I gave it to my sister Carrie (who is a writer) and while it isn't an accurate snapshot of the women in our family, it is perhaps more "representational" of them. I really love that primitive, flat-dimensioned look of the paintings done in the early 1800's so was going for that sort of look, but they were meant to depict, L-R, back row - my mom Patricia Louise Strachan Ryman, her mom, Mildred Elizabeth Irvin Strachan and HER mom, Carrie Minerva Mitchell Irvin. The front row is, L-R - my sisters, Cynthia Lea Ryman Newsome and Carrie Ann Ryman and me, Diana Louise Ryman. It was a lot of fun to work on and I think my sweet sis really liked it.
In 2012 I'm hoping to focus on more de-cluttering of my art stash, painting a room or two in the house and the more fun type of painting - on canvas. I've always admired the looser, more "painterly" style some artists such as Mystele and Sharon Tomlinson, achieve. So I plan to teach myself how to paint this way too. I feel like my work is too up-tight and controlled. One of my friends, Jean Field, recently suggested that I "use a larger brush" to help me achieve this look, so I'll start there. Sounds so simple, doesn't it? Ha! Wish me luck!
