Original Art Work of Kristen M. Ettensohn

New Painting: Mock Collage

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 13:29:55 -0500

As mentioned in my previous post, Incomplete Work: Mock Collage, this work was done out of the simple inspiration to paint with myriad ideas in my head. I had briefly considered collaging because much of my inspiration was coming from visual stimuli in my immediate surroundings. After realizing that I didn’t feel like cutting up and glueing paper to a canvas, I had gotten out my Sharpie and starting sketching a collage. I was sketching from former paintings, from words in newspapers and magazines, and out of thoughts and feelings. This is what resulted. I like the bright colors very much and the personally identifiable symbols of fun, peace, encouragement and life.

When I was in Houston for the month of November, I found myself in a class that was supposed to be for acrylic painting. It ended up being a class on cutting out construction paper for the first few projects. For the final project, we got to collage with magazines. Now that I think about that experience, that was probably the start of my inspiration for all of this. I remember thinking, “i like the colors of collage!” but also, “i don’t like the sticky wet glue.” Maybe that’s why I decided to make a fake collage. Here was my Houston work:

I had run out of time in completing it, but I do believe that this was probably where the idea for collage initially came from. I don’t like to give away what I’m thinking when I collage, so that’s why I don’t really say what I am thinking or feeling about why different pieces are in a collage. I’d like each person to interpret for themselves.

New Painting: Donation for Suffolk Public Interest Law Group (SPILG) Fundraiser

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:12:45 -0500

About a month ago, I was contacted by a student at Suffolk Law School. She was looking for donations from local artists towards a fundraiser for the Suffolk Public Interest Law Group (SPILG). Funds raised would provide Suffolk Law students with scholarships and fellowships to intern in non-profit public interest organizations who cannot otherwise afford interns. While it is difficult to part with a work, especially for “free”, this seemed like something that would be nice to be a part of. It really seems like a win-win situation. For Suffolk law, they will be able to raise money to help fund the internship of a student at a non-profit. For me, I’ll get some publicity to Boston area lawyers, professors, and those who are otherwise tied to Suffolk Law School....maybe there will be some big Boston offices in need of wall hangings and just waiting for an original KME.

At the time I was contacted for donation, I did not have a group of works to choose from. All my recent works had been sold and my newest series, Boston Garden In Color, was in the ‘idea’ stage. I was able to promise this student that the work would be new, an original, and based on Boston...likely, a Boston Garden In Color work. I came upon the good fortune of exhibiting that series of works in Starbucks, however, so actually, I did not have a “Boston Garden In Color” to donate prior to this weekend.

This weekend, I sat down with my original photo of inspiration to make a new Boston Garden In Color 1, version 2. Not only did I know that I would like the finished product and be happy to donate it, but I thought it would be fun to tackle the same scene, same setting (after all, same photo) and see what resulted. And let me tell you, I surprised myself at my own inclination to gravitate to the same way to paint something. I did not reference my old painting while painting this new work- though, it looks as if it were a direct replica. There are definite differences in color. If seen in person, you’d notice differences in texture as well....the second time around, I really slapped on the paint. But overall, it is clearly the same scene, the same artist, and the same gravitation to a specific brush stroke and color palette. I think this speaks to the way we, as artist, remember a painting. While I didn’t remember how I actually painted the first Boston Garden In Color, I believe my body knew exactly what to do and went about it the same way. Here are the two works side by side:

To expand upon this, I like to paint replicas of favorite artist works when I have nothing else I want to paint. I like to discover their color palette, their brushstrokes, their composition. And I truly do feel that from attempting to paint like other artists at times, it begins to impact my own artistic expression. I incorporate what I learned from another artist into my own artistic vision and expression and in that way, I am constantly developing and changing as an artist. Who knows, had I painted a Renoir before picking up this work for the second time, it may have looked completely different :) It’ll be fun to experiment in the future...

Incomplete Work: Mock Collage

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:57:44 -0500

While laying on the couch this week, again, I’ve not been feeling well, I had the desire to paint but didn’t know what to paint and knew it’d be too messy to try to paint while on the couch. I took out my Sharpie and started drawing out random objects of inspiration on a small 11” x 14” canvas. There were some newspapers around me and I didn’t have much desire to leaf through them or cut out parts of them to make a collage. I did, however, feel like collaging. So what developed is what I now call a “Mock Collage.” Basically, my Sharpie collaged around the canvas for me.

The words on the canvas come from the page of newspaper that was opened and in front of me. The girl in the upper right corner came from inspiration from my previous re-make of the Van Dongen “Corn Poppy.” In the upper left corner are the beads that were hanging in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. Their shape represents “woman,” and this necklace was worn by the women in some ancient group of people...of course, with my poor ability to retain knowledge of history, I can’t tell you WHO those people were. My Livestrong bracelet gets a prominent place in this work. I like the CITGO sign with the “Win Win Win” below it, so that also garnered a position in my collage. Of course, my trusty iPhone. So I kind of got writing out words and pictures and then stopped. Then the other night, I was in the mood to paint, but didn’t feel like finishing the “collage” so I simply started painting parts of it.

SO, this remains an incomplete Mock Collage! There will be more words, more visual stimuli and more sharpie usage in the future. This work represents where I’ve been this week...not far from the couch. It’s been fun! I may mock collage more in the future.

Incomplete Work: Boston Ducks

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:53:47 -0500

I’ve not been feeling well this week and have disappointedly let my blog fall to the way side for seven days. I usually like to post with completed works but I thought, out of the interest in putting in an entry, that I’d post on some works in progress for the time being.

I did not have much time to paint this week and in the few hours that I did have to work on this painting...I must say, they did not help clarify it for me. I originally started a Boston Duckling painting back when I made the CITGO Boston painting instead. My brush led me in an entirely different direction and I happily followed. This time around, I really wanted to follow through with the Boston Ducklings, but again, I get a strong dislike for the work right after getting my initial sketch onto the canvas.

Often, when I start a work, I have a vague idea in my head what I want it to look like. I’ve been confused with the ducks because I’m waiting for the moment of clarity to hit me and say, “ah, ha, this is exactly how it should be!” But that has not come yet so I have a painting right now of moderate composition, a disarray of a color palette, and no true feeling. I am definitely learning that you can’t PUSH art. If not feeling a work, it is very hard to actually sit down, make it cohesive, and be happy. So I may let this work rest in the meantime.

Above is the current photo that I have. I have been exploring shadows, colors, shape, and background. We will see what comes of this...perhaps it would have been interesting to show my progress photos up to this point. I did not take any because I found this work so unsatisfactory. Anyways....here it is....

Starbucks Exhibit Is UP!

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:48:57 -0500

In her first public debut, artist KME joins fellow artist Paul Ryan to show her newest painting series, Boston Garden in Color, along with Paul’s Boston themed works. The Starbucks Coffee is located by Fresh Pond Mall on 220 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02138 and generously displays these works for the month of February. All works are available for purchase with prices listed. Come on by and enjoy your Starbucks latte while viewing the brightly painted Boston scenes!

Below is a sneak peak of what to expect. There is a little more room available on the far right, so there just may be a few more works by Paul on display in a few days.

Please see paulwryan.com for his blog entry and the story behind this exhibit. None of this would have been possible without Paul’s duel role as artist AND agent (and he actually has a day job too, folks). The displayed works by KME are as follows: