artsy forager

Category: My Paintings

  • Reviewing. Solo Show Recap.

    Reviewing. Solo Show Recap.

    It’s been almost a month since Sky Becomes Water closed and I probably have enough perspective now to write about it. I was very pleased with this body of work– it felt authentic and vulnerable and like a step forward which I haven’t felt about my work in a long while.

    Although I didn’t begin with any hard and fast direction, I did take my jumping off point creatively from two paintings I’d put aside the summer before– they felt like a different direction from the other work I was doing at the time so I stopped working on them and let them breathe for a long time.

    It turned out that they were already complete. As I began working on the show, I kept these still as they were and they felt like the touchpoint for where I wanted to take the new paintings.

    Ten Thousand Years, Maybe, 2025, acrylic on cradled wood panel, 40x48x2, private collection
    My Being Was a Swan, 2025, acrylic on cradled wood panel, 40x48x2, available at J. Rinehart Gallery

    As we hung the show at J. Rinehart Gallery, it was a challenge at first. It seemed like the work wasn’t naturally finding its rhythm on the gallery’s walls. But we persevered and I left that day feeling very happy and proud of producing this group of paintings and my 3rd solo show with JRG.

    The show’s opening coincided with Pioneer Square Art Walk and we had a nice number of visitors, a great mix of folks already familiar with my work and some fresh eyes.

    The gallery hosted an Artist Talk with me on a Saturday afternoon. Between us, I dread these. I love talking with people one on one about my work but a group setting is pretty uncomfortable for this introvert. So perhaps it’s for the best that these tend to be smaller in attendance, ha! That said, this small but mighty group had some really wonderful questions and insights and I was incredibly grateful for the time we spent together.

    A few paintings sold and honestly, in this current economic climate, I am happy with that. Many are still available and I’m hopeful they will find their places and the people who love them.

    I’m incredibly grateful to be able to do this work and to Judith, Alexandra, and all the team at J. Rinehart Gallery who support me so well and so fully.

    On to the next!

  • Practice. #watercolorsandcoffee

    Practice. #watercolorsandcoffee

    They say practice makes perfect, right?  Last year’s #100littleartworks project brought me not only a love of watercolors but also to the appreciation for daily creativity, even on the busiest of days.  At the end of last year, I began to cultivate the habit of creating everyday, usually in the morning over my second cup of coffee.  And so #watercolorsandcoffee was begun!  

    12 | 20 | 16 #watercolorsandcoffee 12 | 21 | 16 #watercolorsandcoffee 12 | 26 | 16 #watercolorsandcoffee

    Ordering more moleskin sketchbooks today!  Follow along on Instagram under the hashtag #watercolorsandcoffee!

    Images by me.

  • Review.

    Review.

    It’s that time of year for reflecting on the past twelve months.  2016 had it’s troubles for sure, but it was my most creatively productive year yet– a trend I plan to continue into the next! 

    2016-collage-1 2016-collage-2 2016-collage-3 2016-collage-4

    acrylic paintings completed 64

    I began the year working furiously toward completing work for LATITUDE, my first solo show at Art & Light Gallery.  The show was a smashing success, which proved to be a huge blessing and a bit of a stumbling block– I had to get over a bit of the “sophomore slump” after LATITUDE.  I dove nearly straight away into a new series, VENTERS, a quiet, coastal inspired series.  Looking back over VENTERS, I can see myself searching for where I wanted to go with that group of work and the shift that took place over those months.  We spent the summer in Edmonds, WA, just a mile from Puget Sound, which took the initial inspiration of the Oregon & California coast and morphed it into the more quiet peace of the Salish Sea.

    While working on VENTERS, I began a series of tiny, monochromatic paintings, SCINTILLA.  These baby paintings began as a creative exercise to fill the minutes while waiting for paint to dry.  But I’ve grown addicted to making them!  I was thrilled when they were accepted by Elliott Fouts Gallery for their Small Gems show, which is still up through January 5th!

    We spent the Fall living on a small lake in Western Washington, which added fuel to my newest series, ECHOES.  Before we left Edmonds, I’d already had the idea of exploring water reflections in my next body of work and it seemed like fate that we ended up living on a lake!  We’ve since moved on to Tacoma, but I’m ending 2016 very focused on pouring out all the inspiration I found at the lake during those months.  

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    2016-wc-collage-1

    2016-wc-collage-3

    2016-wc-collage-4

    watercolor paintings completed 110+

    A big surprise for me in 2016 was the result of a 100 day painting project.  I participated in the #the100dayproject on Instagram and it led to discovering a love for watercolor painting.  I began the project with a few small acrylic paintings, but as we were moving the next week, I decided to move to watercolors for their easy accessibility and clean up.  And a love affair was born!  A goal for 2017 will be to create larger watercolors on paper and experiment with different substrates.  I’m not sure I’ll ever give up acrylics but I do love the softness and gracefulness I’ve found with this new medium.

    As an artist, I often find myself taking my work too seriously, so I made strides this year toward making time for creative play.  #the100dayproject kicked this off, but after I finished the 100 days, I found myself searching for other avenues, specifically ways to combine painting and natural elements, resulting in #foragescapes and #encirclings.

    foragescapes-collage

    #foragescapes

    2016-encircling-collage

    #encirclings

    I couldn’t write a review of my year as an artist without mentioning time spent in the wild.  Mr. F and I spent a lot of time hiking and camping the North Cascades  over the summer, as well as walking down to the Puget Sound countless times while we were in Edmonds.  We hiked in the Olympics, Mount Rainier, the Columbia River Gorge, and Goat Rocks Wilderness among so many others.  Each place we go enters my subconsciousness and I see them emerging from my brush, uncontrollably.

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    While 2016 ended with a feeling of uncertainty of the future for so many of us, we forge ahead.  I’m excited to be back in the studio post-Christmas holiday working on a commission for a Florida designer and finishing four ECHOES paintings on panel, planning for the next and ordering supplies.  

    I have my goals for the next year and after seeing such growth last year, I’m beyond excited for what 2017 has in store.  I wish the same for you!  

    One goal will be getting back to sharing in this space more often!  Hope to see you more frequently in the new year!

     

  • Scintilla.

    Scintilla.

    If you’re following along with me on Instagram, you may have seen a new series of tiny paintings I’ve been creating, SCINTILLA.

    These 4″ square works on deep cradled wood panel began as an exercise to fill the time while larger paintings dried.  I always find myself falling in love with the earliest stage of a painting– the stage in which I paint in a monochromatic palette to work out basic light, contrast, and composition.   So I thought these little pieces would be the perfect avenue to explore those monochromes as finished work.

    scintilla-collage-part-1

    Beginning with one color, then adding white and grey for light and contrast, the compositions emerge intuitively.  I try not to begin with a set idea in mind, but instead allow a trace of a landscape to emerge slowly.

    scintilla-collage-part-2

    The first eight of the SCINTILLA paintings are currently hanging at Elliott Fouts Gallery in Sacramento as part of their Small Gems show!  Check out the EFG website for pricing and contact information for the gallery.

    I’m looking forward to creating more in this series after I get settled into my new studio in Tacoma. Oh yeah, did I not mention we’re headed to Tacoma for the next six months?  🙂

    I’ll check in again once we get settled!  Meanwhile, check out the SCINTILLA series and all the other Small Gems on the EFG website!

  • Defining Venters. The Palette.

    Defining Venters. The Palette.

    Each season, in each place, has its own palette and I find that each informs my work, wherever I happen to be.  We’ve spent our spring and summer on the Puget Sound where I’ve been soaking up the way the water glistens, the seagulls call, the foghorns sound.

    While here, in addition to the #100littleartworks project, I’ve been painting my VENTERS coastal series. Initially inspired by the wildness of the Oregon Coast and my memories of the beaches and marshes of North Florida, I wanted these paintings to have the palette and reflective transparency of sea glass and sunsets.

    Seaglass and sunsets collage

    top image found here; bottom image by me

    As I do for each series, I put together a Pinterest board for my palette inspiration, printing and referencing these images as I worked in the studio.

    Rope collage

    painting knocking on heaven’s door, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 40x30x1.5

    right image found here 

    Eggs collage

    painting how she moves, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 15x19x.75

    bottom image found here

    Angel collage

    painting make me an angel, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 30x40x1.5

    left image found here

    As I look back on the completed series, I see the way the work and the palette shifted the longer we were here on the Sound.  I’m looking forward to finding my way through the Fall and the changes it may bring in my palette and my way of seeing.

    PS– I’m shipping the last of the VENTERS paintings out to Art & Light Gallery very soon!  Then onto the next!

  • True. Artistic Identity.

    True. Artistic Identity.

    Soft, moody.  Bold & brushy.  Which am I?

    Once, in a job interview, I was asked what my favorite fashion brand was.  I told the interviewer, I would love to be a Free People girl.  But I think I’m more Anthropologie.  And I think it’s the same with painting.  I’ve gone through this questioning before, a few years ago, and thought I’d come to a happy conclusion.

    But voices come in from all directions and we give them heed, perhaps we should but more than likely we shouldn’t.

    Am I making work that makes my heart sing, that challenges me or am I making work that focuses on the way other people respond to it?

    Give Me Your Forever by Lesley Frenz | artsy forager #art #artists #paintings #abstractart

    give me your forever, 2016, acrylic on cradled wood panel, 12×12

    available at art & light gallery

    I’m a quiet person.  I’m not loud or brash or even sparkly.  I’m introspective.  Some might say mysterious, since I usually keep my cards close to the vest.  Why would I try to make work that doesn’t reflect who I truly am?

    As I was beginning the VENTERS series, I experimented a bit with slightly bolder movement and texture and while successful, the more quiet and soft paintings that have come lately feel more “me”.  I just finished up four more small coastal inspired pieces and am starting on larger canvases this week.  They are turning out beautifully and sharing them will feel like sharing my heart.  As art should be.  I can’t wait for you to see, stay tuned!

    Image by me.

     

  • Practice. The 100 Day Project.

    Practice. The 100 Day Project.

    I’ve never been good at keeping a sketchbook, or even painting daily unless I can block off a few studio hours to really paint.  So the idea of creating something every day for 100 days was intimidating, but the idea of pushing myself in that way really excited me.

    With a bit of trepidation, on Tuesday, April 19th, I began #the100dayproject, committing to creating every day for 100 days and sharing the results on Instagram.

    Working within certain parameters would, I knew, make this process easier to document and control, so I decided to create 100 small artworks on 6×6 vellum ( I’m addicted to these little guys for quick sketches ).  I started with acrylics for the first few pieces, whipping out quick little paintings while I worked on bigger canvases in the studio.

    1 of 100_acrylic on vellum_6x6

    But I soon switched to watercolor, as it just so happened that the beginning of the project coincided with our prep to move from OR to WA, so the watercolors were much easier to whip out while my acrylics were packed away.

    13 of 100_watercolor on vellum_6x6 7 of 100_watercolor on vellum_6x6 22 of 100_watercolor on vellum_6x6 24 of 100_watercolor on vellum_6x6

    And I do believe a love affair with watercolor has begun!  A large part of what artists who have participated in #the100dayproject have experienced has been a creative breakthrough or the discovery of a new technique or new palette or approach.  I don’t plan to give up acrylics, but I do think I’ll be exploring watercolor on a larger scale very soon!

    You can follow my #the100dayproject progress by following me on Instagram or searching the hashtag #100littleartworks.  There is also now a #100littleartworks page on my artist site that I’ll be updating periodically.

    I’m enjoying this new journey!  Have you ever participated in a daily creative challenge?  What did it do for you?

    Images by me.

  • New. Venters.

    New. Venters.

    As I was finishing up the work for my LATITUDE show, my mind was already overflowing with ideas for my next body of work.  But I was having a hard time narrowing my scope.  Then my hubby and I took a weekend trip to the Oregon Coast.  And my new series, VENTERS, was born.

    Venters collage

    A dozen new paintings in my VENTERS series are now available at Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, SC! You can also see all of the work on my website.  More on the inspiration behind this new series, coming soon!  I can’t wait to see how our new spot near Puget Sound influences what is to come.

  • Steps. Process of a Painting.

    Steps. Process of a Painting.

    When I look at a painting, I always wonder how the artist arrived at its eventual conclusion.  How did they begin?  How did the painting evolve and what choices did the artist make along the way?

    So I thought you guys might be interested in seeing the journey that one of my LATITUDE paintings took.  I always begin with covering the canvas in a medium-toned ground.  My favorite way to begin is with a creamy salmon pink tone in which I will often work out the basic composition by adding lights and darks.

    Then I’ll start mapping in the bigger spaces in the painting.. In this painting, the sky was the first thing I started working.  I knew the sky would end up being very light and foggy feeling but I always start with fairly saturated color and just keep pushing it back by painting on light layer after light layer.

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    I actually posted a photo at the stage above on Instagram & Facebook and lots of folks assumed it was a finished painting!  I guess it could have been, there was definitely something about this stage that I really liked.

    The next stages involve refining and shaping.  The original flatness of the land shape wasn’t working for me, so I extended it up the side of the canvas to create more depth and draw the eye farther up the canvas.  More depth and texture was added to the landforms so that they felt less like a marsh and more like the Pacific cliffs I’d intended.

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    In addition to adding depth in the form of darks and lines, the next stages involved adding light color and expressive marks to the landform shapes while continuing to lighten up and push back the sky.

    Process collage

    Looking back, I am really drawn to those expressive marks in the right photo above.  Some of that expression was retained, but I do wonder what would have been if I’d been able to retain that feeling but it wasn’t to be this time..

    IMG_20160104_140657

    This ^ was the point in which I was really wrestling with this one.  I was happy with where that sky section was and I loved the feeling of depth I was getting in the upper section, but the lower 2/3 was a whole other story.  Somewhere along the way, I’d lost the expressiveness and definition and while I love misty-softness, it was feeling way too blah.  Plus that wandering water shape coming down the middle was losing it’s jagged edges so it looked less like a tributary and more like a sock.  Womp womp!!

    I kept plugging away and got to this point before needing to leave the studio for dinner with Mr. F.

    IMG_20160105_145311

    I try to get as much done as possible in the studio during the day so that we can have our evenings together.  But there are nights that I just can’t call it a day, I feel so driven to come to a stopping point I’m happy with for the day, whether that is a finished painting or not.  So I went back over to the studio after our dinner.  Sometimes those evenings at the easel are just what I need– I crank the music ( something I can’t do during the day in my shared Ashland studio ) and just work until I get to that happy point.  Luckily for this painting, the happy point for the night was a finished painting.

    Frenz_Tenderness and Time_2015_acrylic on canvas_36x36

    tenderness & time (48.53.53 N), acrylic on canvas, 36×36; ScanSource collection

    While the music wafted through the studio, I upped the contrast, added more color and texture through transparent washes in rich greens, turquoises and purples.  I took back the jagged shape of the water coming through the cliffs and what resulted was a painting that was one of my favorites in the LATITUDE show.

    See the step by step progress in the .gif below!  Hey ya’ll, I created a gif!  I’m so proud.

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    The process of this painting is pretty typical for me.  I wrestled a bit more than usual with this one, but there is always a bit of tussling involved to get to the vision in my head.  One day perhaps the process will move a bit more swiftly and easily, but I’m not sure I would get the same amount of satisfaction if it were too easy to accomplish.  If it were easy everyone would do it, right?

    All images by me.

  • Update. New Work!

    Update. New Work!

    I’m trying really hard not to be one of those artists who never has their latest work on the website.  So, new work has been added to my artist site!

    Above Us Only Sky I & II ( diptych ) by Lesley Frenz | artsy forager #art #artists #paintings #abstractart

    above us only sky I & II ( diptych ), 2015, acrylic on masonite panel, 12×24 overall

    As I prepare for my solo show, LATITUDE, at Art & Light Gallery in March and waiting for my Ashland studio to be ready for me to use, I’ve been working on small works on panel at the kitchen table.  Not ideal, but creating these smaller pieces helps me work out composition ideas and palettes.  Some I love, some I don’t.  OK, there’s only one I don’t love.  I’ll leave you to guess which one.

    You can see my latest work in the Recent Work section of lesleyfrenz.com. More to come soon!

    Artwork by Lesley Frenz.