I displayed this selection of my works, along with several new pieces, on November 23, 2023.
12X12″ sold
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″ sold
12X12″ sold
12X12″ sold
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
10X10″
10X10″
10X10″
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
12X12″
18×24″
30X36″
20×30″
18X24″
36X48″
15X19″
30X40″
18X24″
14X24″
10X10″
20X24″
12X12″
10X10″
These paintings are inspired by the creation of my new garden last summer…. spending an equal number of hours on the arranging and rearranging, adding and subtracting, on both my canvas and in the soil, has kept the creative juices flowing and now I want you to come and see!
Come celebrate with me again.. another ArtParty, but this time in small groups.
If you would like to share in this experience of my garden and painting please contact me at angemaxart@gmail.com
My heart paintings reflect the many challenges of covid. They are a celebration of finding the good and the positive…and putting our hearts back together, stronger than ever.
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30X36″ framed Sold
For all images of the work, explore the “In the time of” link: https://angemaxart.com/in-the-time-of
Creating these new paintings at the start of the pandemic was a way to keep myself energized, optimistic and entertained. I am used to working long days and sometimes evenings, alone in my studio, so the solitude was normal for me.
Despite knowing all the challenges out there, I was grateful that I still craved the creative process and managed to immerse myself in my work.
A few of these paintings reflect the pared-back life we have been leading – the calmness and even beauty of it.
I experimented for a while with a minimal canvas, keeping a certain playfulness in the work. It wasn’t long before I was incorporating papier maché, fabric and texture, enjoying as I do the process of adding and subtracting, arranging and rearranging, layering my media, until I capture that special moment in time.
I find inspiration all around me: my wonderful river view; the endless sky above; and my garden…I use them all, bringing them into my own alternate universe where there is an abundance of colour and motion.
Although the finished art work is important, the creative process is everything to me. I keep painting because it uses my mind in the most interesting and alive way. Painting helps me live in the moment …when I’m painting I am not worrying about the past or fretting about the future.
These new works are a return to my love of collage and also to a favourite device, hand-tinting black and white photos. I use photographs and images derived from previous work, manipulating them in photo editing software, then drawing on top with crayon, charcoal and paint. I then incorporate these new images into my paintings. This playful use of different materials helps express my belief that few things are ever as they first appear.
I often use everyday objects to draw the viewer in…bringing them into my own alternate universe where there is an abundance of colour and motion. The collage technique further blurs the line between real and what is in my imagination.
Many of these new works are a celebration of life in the cottage at 6 Forest Street. This beautiful backdrop is also a perfect setting for the high energy, enthusiasm and creativity that my grandchildren bring to my world…helping me express the joy of simply being alive.
Thus, my process is one of adding and subtracting, arranging and re-arranging, and layering my media, until I capture that special moment in time.
36X48″
This Spring you can see samples of my latest work at the Rideau Tennis Club, where I have been a member for many years. The Club is located on the East side of the Rideau River, at 1 Donald Street.
During what was a long cold winter I held onto the words “hope”, “optimism”, “ colour” and “rebirth” – the images “in my mind’s eye” of what lay beneath the total whiteness of my river view.
A constant in my creative life is playing with new materials to express the belief that few things are ever as they first appear. I started to collect other peoples’ discarded treasures, with a view to building sculptures that would be fun, ironic, and sometimes contradictory.
In my last exhibition I used old kitchen drawers as a vehicle for some new creations; I recently realized that these same drawers could house my new recycled treasures. I like the synergy that these sculptures brought to my drawer paintings. This new process has added unexpected pleasure to a long winter.
A brief escape to Mexico was rejuvenating; when I returned, I had the colours of that culture fully in my mind’s eye. The largest painting in this show is very much influenced by that trip.
I hope to see you there
Angela
This Spring you can see samples of my latest work at the wonderful new gathering place on Wellington Street West, The Hintonburg Public House (visit at http://www.hintonburgpublichouse.ca)
“As I prepared my canvasses and got ready to start this Charmed, I’m Sure series of paintings, I was aware that winter was approaching. I settled into my studio with these guiding thoughts:
innocence strength beauty memory hope loss and celebration
Birds appear frequently in my work because they seem to embody many of these ideas. They represent a flash of beauty. They make me happy for no reason. They appear and then they are gone. They are fragile and vulnerable, yet they withstand so much. Along with the large sky of my river view, they make for powerful influences in my creative life.
Another major influence is the child’s view of the world. When I achieve it and I begin experimenting with mixed media, my sub-conscious flows freely, and so the journey begins. It was in this frame of mind that I remembered some small drawers from an old bank languishing in my garden shed. They seemed the perfect vehicle to carry my imaginary portrait and still life series – as did my old kitchen drawers, which were recently replaced. Using photos, altered images, paint, paper, string, and gel, I created this series of vignettes as part of the Charmed I’m Sure illusion.
Thus, my process is one of adding and subtracting, arranging and re-arranging, and layering my media, until I capture that special moment in time.”
Angela Maxwell's Art 