Monday, November 5, 2012

FFF: On Triumphs and Defeats

Artists in Blogland is sponsoring an art journaling challenge called Fall Fearless and Fly, with new prompts every other week through mid-January. The third prompt (click here) suggests using black and white for your color scheme and journaling about your greatest triumphs and defeats. I loved using paper scraps, gesso and white paint to build up layers of texture and then highlighting the page with micaceous iron oxide and carbon black.  As for the journaling, try as I might, I could not bring any triumphs or defeats into focus.  I kept coming back to the idea that my life is currently a work in progress, and I am not ready to claim great triumphs or concede any great defeats. I've got a lot of irons in the fire right now; hopefully these will mature into triumphs come spring. 
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24 comments:

  1. helenaNovember 5, 2012 at 10:39 PM

    lov ehow much depth and contrast you achieved with white and black.

    I agree sometimes talking in absolutes does not feel right

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  2. AmyNovember 6, 2012 at 1:08 AM

    I really agree with Helena's second part of her comment - and I love how you turned this into something that works for you. I really like the muted tones on this one too.

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  3. Missus WookieNovember 6, 2012 at 1:56 AM

    I try hard not to talk in absolutes at the moment too. Love the texture and b/w contrast with the grey mid tones.

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  4. SianNovember 6, 2012 at 4:58 AM

    I'm another fan of the look of this one!

    Claiming great triumphs? I think lots of us would call getting that husband of yours home and now getting everyone out of bed every morning and keeping things on an even keel for the kids - we'd call that a triumph. Honestly.

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  5. ElizabethNovember 6, 2012 at 5:58 AM

    Wow! That is a great challenge and very well done. There are so many things I like about it...using rubber stamps to do the WIP, the cut out figures, the texture layers, and what look like dark clouds to me. Your life may be a work in progress, but this challenge is a finished product.

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  6. Carolyn DubeNovember 6, 2012 at 6:34 AM

    I love this! You've captured such depth! Your post has sparked me is so many ways! Micaceous iron oxide- of course- I have that from a class I took long ago. I get very excited when I use something I've had for a while. And the idea that you don't want to claim triumph or defeat yet-I love that! I need to keep that in mind when I am feeling the defeat.

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  7. Carolyn DubeNovember 6, 2012 at 6:34 AM

    So glad you are a part of Fall Fearless and Fly!

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  8. KarenNovember 6, 2012 at 7:11 AM

    I'm another fan of this piece, and I think Sian is right---sometimes the things we do, but take for granted, are the triumphs we need to claim.

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  9. AlisonNovember 6, 2012 at 9:05 AM

    What Sian and Karen said!!
    Alison xx

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  10. UnknownNovember 6, 2012 at 11:02 AM

    I really like the idea of life as a WIP. This is a beautiful, ,dreamy page.

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  11. LeoviNovember 6, 2012 at 11:42 AM

    Delicious BW composition with soft colors, I like the light.

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  12. AnonymousNovember 6, 2012 at 12:27 PM

    I really like the softness of this page, and so agree about the work in progress. I actually hope my life as a work in progress is never finished, whatever will I do then? :-)

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  13. DeniseNovember 6, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    I love this - I had a play at some she art type stuff at the retreat.I echo Sian's sentiments too x

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  14. ComfyMom~StaceyNovember 6, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    I love how you did the WIP with the grunge on this

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  15. K J DNovember 6, 2012 at 1:49 PM

    I really like your take on this challenge.....

    I am sure the 'irons in the fire' will become triumphs but I do love your WIP attitude to it.

    Great page :)

    Karenx

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  16. Deb @ PaperTurtleNovember 6, 2012 at 3:12 PM

    Hello, sweet friend ~ I love your black and white piece here, and I can totally understand your hesitation to claim any triumphs or defeats at this point in your life. Here's wishing you a whole bunch of triumphs right around the corner!!! xo

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  17. CarlettaNovember 6, 2012 at 3:50 PM

    I think we are all to some degree a work in progress. I'll be 60 soon and this stage is a new progression every day. Not sure where it will take me.
    Love the depth you achieved. That's something I need to work on.
    A nod as well to Sian's comments.

    Thanks so much for visiting my entry post.:)

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  18. Jenny GrantNovember 6, 2012 at 4:17 PM

    I also love this and agree with Sian's that we should look at all the small triumphs and defeats that are won every day. We usually aim very high and forget to be grateful for all the small things along the way.... haha, I guess I just wrote what my journal page will be about... I have also been thinking about big triumphs and didn't know until now what my journal page would be about. Now I get itchy fingers to do my page:-)

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  19. UnknownNovember 6, 2012 at 4:29 PM

    I love the texture and value contrasts you created here. There is so much to look at and so much depth. I also applaud your rejection of triumph and defeat and adoption of WIP. Brilliant!

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  20. sharonNovember 6, 2012 at 11:26 PM

    I love the softness of this - very difficult to do with b & w. Your thoughts on life being a WIP has set me thinking.

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  21. scrappyjackyNovember 6, 2012 at 11:40 PM

    I think there's a lot of little triumphs going on in your life at the moment,Rinda.
    Love the art work.

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  22. MiriamNovember 7, 2012 at 10:28 AM

    I'm with Sian. You triumph every morning and every evening Rinda.
    I like your piece too and would love to know how to do it.

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  23. JoannaNovember 8, 2012 at 7:02 AM

    Super page, and I really like the sentiment that you are a WIP (aren't we all?!).

    Good luck with all those irons in the fire :)

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  24. ValentinaNovember 8, 2012 at 11:29 PM

    Beautiful!

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