11 October 2022 Leaning into textures and layers to find images.

                         

It's predominantly a Professional Artist Practice day with 2 lectures, so I'm working on my website and proposal ideas but found some time to do some more testing and developing in the studio.

Slowly building an emerging image of a 'grandmother' (Family matriarch, care giver and historically potentially a midwife in some communities)

I'm aiming for a playful endearing face behind wifey grey and white hair in an organic warm dark setting. 

I have the poem "it wasn't witches we burned it was women" in mind with this one and want to portray a potential relatable character or family member.

• I added some detail and removed the masking tape from this piece.  
• The white contrasting gesso is too plain so I may mask from the other direction once dry and rework the blank side. 
• Aysha popped over and said she liked how organic it felt due to the texture and colours, which is encouraging because I'm after a comfortable natural texture rather than a dark horror vibe.
• This has a "witch mark" scratched into the canvas, I added dark oil paint and then used thinners to wipe away and leave the dark "w". 
• This mark is a christian ritualistic mark and historically refers to the virgin mother, it's alongside the silhouette of the pregnant female.  

• Added a layer to this piece - I'm aware that I may also decide that the white gesso is wrong on this one.  I prefer the plain canvas to the white gesso when the masking is removed but I'd decided to gesso the whole piece as a plain canvas is bare and completely unprotected from dirt, dust etc, but I think that's also part of its appeal.