New Work
"STITCHED IN TIME", Patterns & Signs Series, Diptych, 24'x48"x2.5"d (Black Sides)
"BLUE, FLOATING", Patterns & Signs Series, 48"x48"x2.5"d (Black Sides)
" THINGS ARE LOOKING UP", Patterns & Signs Series, 48" x48" x 2.5"d (Black Sides)
" DIRECTIONS #1- #4", Patterns & Signs, 12"x12"x2.5"d (Black Sides)I have been most inattentive to this blog because I have been painting for shows. I apologize to those of you who have sent in comments to which I have not responded.
Dawn at abollafia, if you will contact me over my website http://www.maxineprice.com/ I will be happy to give you some specifics on oils and mediums.
I first learned to sew on my grandmother's treadle singer sewing machine. I have sewn all my life and even at one point did large fabric wall hangings and painted and stitched fabric paintings.
My new series is named "Patterns & Signs" and includes work inspired by the Gees Bend Quilts and other quilts as well as street signs and highway signs. I decided to combine the two because both are geometric images.
For my one-woman show coming up Nov.9, 2007 at Thornwood Gallery in Houston at their Birdsall location, I have completed several paintings in this series. http://www.thornwoodgallery.com/
The signs are inspired by street signs and highway signs that we see and follow daily but rarely notice. Most signs painted flat on the road that I have photographed are rarely just black and white but contain spilled things and dropped items that become imbeded in the surface. So rather than paint signs just in black and white I decided to include color. For this show I painted four small turning arrows, "DIRECTIONS #1-#4" that are 12"x12" in varied colors and two that are 48"x48" one in white with a black arrow and one in red with a black arrow. The larger arrows are quite dramatic because of their size and there is actually a lot of color and action inside the arrow shapes.
I have included two images above of the pieces inspired by quilts. They generally have more rigid geometric designs than I have used for other series. I have found it more difficult to paint the crisper lines with the palette knife. I have been thinking of trying more of this idea but beginning with acrylics so I can get sharper lines.
I began with thumbnail pencil sketches then transferred the design to my canvases using a t-square and ruler. Once I established the basic colors and designs I applied a thin layer of under colors which show through the top application of pigment. There is quite a bit of texture in the application of pigment with the palette knife. Although the shapes are simple, the balance is complicated and the contrast is dramatic. After the paintings were almost complete but still wet I scratched in fine lines which take away some of the rigidity of the design and have the feeling of loose or trailing threads. These also add interest to the rather large color blocks. The sides are black. In "BLUE, FLOATING, the small blue panel is quite startling against the black panel and seems to float above the surface, particularly under the gallery lights. I feel that the paintings in this series are more sophisticated in design concept than some of my other series. I will have more images posted on my website in a day or so. I welcome comments about these paintings and this new series.
You can contact me directly through my website,
I still plan on a figurative series. Work in progress.
If you would like to see a youtube video from the Russell Collection Opening in Austin on Sept. 8 2007 please click on the link below
