Category Archives: My Art

Quick Collage

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

I created this watercolor & collage “sketch” last night in our weekly art group. In the two hour session, I worked quickly, trying to capture a bit of magic that I often see along my path to art class. When a certain large window is lit from inside, another neighbors’ bare winter trees are silhouetted from a certain angle. I enjoy this combination on a dark night.

For this collage, I used water soluble graphite & watercolor paint on a (very warped & old!) piece watercolor paper. Then I sketched & cut the trees from black paper, and added the purple “shadows”. The blue green version is a digital variation.

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Not My Words I

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

This has changed a bit in the final version. It is now darker and more complex with the addition of more watercolor and subtle collage elements. It is now time to stop, and to declare it finished!

The scan of the original is on the left. As you can see, it is fairly dark and subtle in color. But since I do enjoy drama as well as subtlety, I have created two digital variations. These are included to the right of the original 10″ x 10″ x 1″ collage on wrapped panel.

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Things Change

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

Sometimes a piece comes together quickly, or at least the basic essential work is clear early on, even if final touches take longer! But at other times, the first couple of versions bear very little resemblance to the final work, although some original forms & colors may still be visible. This piece has transformed several times, and may or may not be finished!

The light blue waterfall with the spidery black hole is the current version of the original acrylic painting, 8″ x 10″ on black canvas, scanned. This is the draft #8; I quite like it at the moment so it may be the final version. The rather garish multi-colored image at right is, of course, a digital foil of draft #8, and a somewhat more subdued digital foil is in the middle.

Above left is draft #2, very pink and muddy, and followed by draft #4 (dark blue and very streaky and busy). I don’t like either of these, or other intermediate drafts.

So in the current version at top the open circle all but disappeared, and most of the original colors are completely covered up… so it goes!

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Not My Words

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

Above is a 10″ x 10″ block wrapped in a pre-printed paper. I have worked over this with ink. I like the earlier version best, so I will have to keep working to “fix” it to a better balance… so it goes!

Below is more of the same paper, worked with ink, and layered/collaged onto a wooden plaque. The original is in the center, with digital variations on either side

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Angel Bodies

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

Hard to explain this sketch, or maybe not. I have yard art that I am very fond of, and would love to “translate” into more durable form & media. This doodle is about that, and may help me achieve this eventually. It won’t be as simple as just remaking the work in sturdier material & form, as something vital will likely be lost in the process… I need to capture the essence that I like, rather than try to duplicate the work.

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After the Snow

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

Working on black for both of the works above: at top is acrylics on an 8″x10″ wrapped canvas, and below it is a 11″ x 14″ black art board, worked with mixed media, including pastel, colored pencil, pen, and acrylic paint! Of course the versions on the right are the digital variations that I cannot resist!

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Fireplace

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

I volunteered to work on a sort of stage set “Harry Potter fireplace” for a neighbor (!), but was stumped as how best to accomplish this mission. My goal was to re-use a pile of styrofoam packing blocks that I have stored for years, just knowing these would come in handy for a project. Now, many months later, the project is almost complete. I fear the neighbor has outgrown this enthusiasm, but that is OK; I am guessing someone in Port Townsend will want a fireplace… :-).

This ultra lightweight “fireplace” is about 30″ wide, 25″ high, and 13″ deep with the hearth included. The back and interior is not final yet, and will be customizable! The hollow core and styrofoam is just painted, so the whole thing is rather fragile. I had imagined using plaster on gauze to create a hard shell over the foam, but that would be a lot of work, and the result would be much heavier!

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Walking in the Snow

P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell Posted on by

Very unusual weather conditions in Port Townsend: many inches of snow over the past week, with serious accumulation on the ground. Schools closed, grocery stores full, but few cars on the neighborhood streets that are not getting plowed of course. I am loving it, and have been taking long slow 2-3 hour walks the last three mornings, just rambling and taking photos. Also stopping in for Elevenses at coffee shops when feasible!

And I just can’t resist working up digital transformations of many photos, after I get home. Some are just for fun, some look better unaltered, but some are magic!

I don’t really like me blue skinned, but … well it is interesting!

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