Author: Janet Brady

That is the question!

Often a painting doesn’t need a frame especially if it painted on a large canvas or a deep canvas. It’s difficult to decide what frame to use and perhaps it’s only your preferance not the buyers choice.

Do you keep  it neutral, or dramatic? The best frames I can remember seeing were at an open studio, in an artists house, and the paintings were very serene and looked a little like Hopper. Her frames were hand painted in beautiful dusky colours taken from the colours in her paintings they were so harmonious and exquisite.

A frame certainly finishes off a piece of work and I think adds something. There are definite fashions in framing, visit a few galleries and you get the gist of what’s happening at the moment, simple plain white, with white mounts, or lime wash.

Then there is the frame that works so well with the painting that fashion goes out of the window, many of the old masters, the impressionist painters had the most elaborate hold frames which we ignore when we view their work, we  hardly notice them and just see their beautiful work.

It’s certainly cheaper not to frame and it makes a statement about the finished piece. Bold, even arrogant ….possibly.

 

To focus your mind …….

Having decided I want to exhibit in London in October with the Drawn to the Valley Art Group I need to get my work together pronto!  It’s a challenging schedule.

After my visit to Japan in April, I came back with my head buzzing with ideas. I started to formulate a few ideas but have been so busy I couldn’t get them down on paper. Finally things started to permeate and paintings have emerged.

What is my inspiration?

It can be anything but is most often linked to light and contrast.

I’m theme driven, I like to focus on an ideas and then develop it further, exploring every avenue.

It’s a mood more than a thing.

Adding Colour!

Continuing the theme I have added more colour. The dripping water based effect depicting the ore and minerals have become the base for the monies and the metals found under them.

The buildings at Carn Brae are so huge, such a massive collection in one place. It reminded me of a monastery or derelict priory. The architecture is so detailed, the brick work around windows is complex and very fine, mostly made out of Granite. They are still standing many decades after their closure. I really focussed on the architecture, the windows and the juxtaposing faces of each wall.