Artist Renee Mak

Doodles~ Week Three! Part One... Part one of Stylized Faces was to create a colorful mixed media background. The lesson started by taking a blank piece of Strathmore Series 400 Mixed Media Paper and markers and writing a few words on the page.  It could be anything... and won't really show in the end. I wrote CREATE  LIVE  LOVE.  Then several other marks  with markers was added. After that I added paint with a brush over the entire surface, using several similar colors.  Paint and glazing gel was used to  color over the words without entirely blocking them out. Everyday items, like bubble wrap, a medicine bottle and a plastic lid where then used to stamp a complimentary color onto the painting. I also used the back of a Starbucks coffee sleeve and a handmade flower stamp to add interest and layers. This process continued until I added several more layers and felt the piece was ready for step two... a styli...

CuRREntLy WoRKing oN! Here's what I'm currently working on... and... These are two 10" x 10" gallery wrapped mixed media canvases that I started as samples for a mixed media class.   The text is a page from a vintage book and you can faintly make out the chapter title "My Fight With A..." This intrigued me and so I plan on keeping it visible!   We all have  fights on our hands and I really like the idea of taking a "fight" and turning into something positive.   That's the point of my mixed media  class called "Trash to Treasure" . One of the things I LOVE so much about mixed media is the layering process and how the painting seems to get a life of it's own and tell you what it wants! I'd say that these two are almost finished... with a few more layers, a mantra and just a tiny bit of glitter! Happy Painting! xoxo

I love to paint on rainy days... Something about a rainy day makes me want to paint.  I love how quiet the world seems as the rain falls... as if there's nothing to do but stay in and create on canvas. To communicate through color... and try new things with paint, crayon and stencils. To let thoughts and ideas flow out onto the canvas while hiding in plain sight. Using fabulous found objects, like a vintage doily, to create interest and  draw the viewer to look closer. And create small paintings within larger paintings... These are some of the reasons I love to paint, on rainy days or any days! What do you like most about painting... or rainy days... or both! {All photos above are taken from original, in progress mixed media paintings by artist Renee Mak and are protected by copyright 2011}

"Peace" I recently completed a small, mixed media acrylic series called "Peace".  Each painting is 8"x8" on gallery wrapped canvas. I love how they turned out.  The blues and greens invoke a peaceful calm while the circular shapes, script markings and paint drips add a touch of whimsy. The chunky stenciled shape acts as an anchor in a  mystical setting. I like to think that something inside the painting calls the viewer to look deeper... deeper into the 'peace'. These paintings also remind me of the 23rd Psalm... "... He makes me to lie down in green pastures;          He leads me beside the still waters.   3  He restores my soul..." Tell me what YOU think... how do they make you feel?

More fun samples for an upcoming mixed media project! The point of what I'm doing is to practice layers of color... And in doing so, learn what the colors communicate... both together and to the viewer! The end goal is to find out what colors do both well. In other words... what colors, when together, communicate the message I wish to communicate in my paintings! What do you think!?!

Ah... the first day of March is going to be beautiful here in  the midwest!   Along with that comes thoughts of Spring... songbirds... flowers... and soft colors. ...enjoy! All of these awesome photos are from some very awesome Etsy sellers!   Make their day and visit their shops... Have a great day!