Think outside the coffee table!!

One of the things I love about being an artist is the ability to think outside the box visually.  See outside the box I guess!!  Sometimes, when I am busy concentrating on the mundane tasks of life like driving, grocery shopping, doing laundry ect., out of the blue a window of opportunity presents itself and that's when the magic happens.  A mountain becomes a reclining naked woman.  A shadow like a cactus in the desert.  A frozen puddle transforms into a beautiful intricate city.  I've seen some wondrous realities in asphalt and humorous characters in slices of tomato. 

While indulging in my obsessive addiction of searching through images in magazines, I ran across this picture of a living room.  I couldn't believe it!  Was I crazy, or was there a face in the bottom of that coffee table??  A terrifyingly wonderful face with white, shining, eyes??  There really was no face but yet there it was, calling to me begging me to bring it to life.  so I did exactly that............

First I found the perfect body

Then built it the perfect world

I call it Treachery.  Because things aren't always what they seem.

ZOMBIE ART

Why are some people attracted to horror  and others, well horrified by it?!  There are many psychological theories on why people enjoy watching horror films.  They can stimulate curiosity, make you root for the good guy (or the bad guy!), enjoy the violence against someone who deserves it, make you feel terrified and then relieved when everything is ok…………until the very end when it always isn’t!!!!  And every teenage boy enjoys a good horror flick.   Especially when the teenage girl next to him screams in fright and jumps into his arms!  While all of these are great reasons to drown yourself in a sea of scary movies this week, my number one reason for watching is the art.  It looks SO real!! How in the heck did they do that?  I love it!!

I love to do zombie make-up and I spend a lot (too much!) time searching the web for great ideas.  This year I found an amazing look on youtube.  You can view the video here.  I had to modify it slightly as the white out contacts make it impossible to see anything and that wouldn’t work for me.  One of the best things about dressing zombie-style is watching how people react to you!!  The dress I am wearing is from the amazing boutique, Hoopla.  You can view the facebook page here and you can shop here.  A big thanks to Mad Margarets Costumes and Hotspots for providing all the necessary "tools"!  Visit them on FB here.

I really outdid myself.  I was terrifying.  Horrible.  So completely gruesome that I could barely stand to look at myself.  But I couldn’t look away either.  I loved it!

Pouring resin for the new show

I finish my pieces with an epoxy resin.  If a perfectly smooth surface makes you happy,  collaging, (a technique of composing a work of art by pasting various materials on a canvas or other object) can be frustrating.  Applying a resin covers the material and creates a glass-like finish. 

Here are a few photos of the process.  I am applying the resin to my new work for the Demented show at The Raw Canvas.

Nebesna Queen

Did you ever look at a piece of art and wonder what exactly the artist was thinking?  I believe that one of the best things about art is that every person can relate to it in their own personal way.  I also love to hear from the artist what they were  thinking or portraying in a piece. 

I would like to share my vision for the piece titled, The Nabesna Queen.  It is a new collage that I did for the Demented Show at The Raw Canvas.

                                                                    ©Wendy Gill Art

I will have to start by letting you in on a bit about my childhood.  I was raised in Walden Colorado.  My father was the caretaker at an abandoned flourspar mine.  He and my mother moved my  sisters and I into a small cabin on the side of a mountain.  The mine was located very near our house and we spent all of our time in the summer exploring it.  Of course we stayed out of the portals and buildings thanks to the story of "Pegleg", the ghost of a dead miner that was sure to be encountered!  (Thanks, dad, for scaring the crap out of us in the name of safety!!!)  It was a beautiful place to grow up and instilled a deep love for nature and mining!!

This summer I was lucky enough to be invited to travel through Alaska with my dad and two nephews.  My neice, mom, and I were invited by my dad and the two nephews were a little disgruntled that their "guy" trip was ruined!  Needless to say we all had the time of our lives!!  Alaska is incredible.  I do not have words to describe such a wild raw place.  I loved it.  We were fortunate to visit the Nabesna Mine with wonderful family freinds.  Getting up to that mine is a story in itself!!  I am in awe of the homesteaders in such harsh country.  When we arrived I felt like I was home.

I think you can see why I felt like a queen.  A strong and capable queen on the top of the world!!  Surrounded by magestic mountains and a rugged old mine!!!  For me.........to die for!!!

If you would like to know more Amazon offers a great book on the history of the Nabesna Mine at http://www.amazon.com/Nabesna-making-historic-frontier-Territory/dp/157833201X

Demented Show at The Raw Canvas

 The Demented Show at The Raw Canvas was an amazing event!! If you weren't able to attend check out my new work! 

                                                                    ©Wendy Gill Art

©Wendy Gill Art

©Wendy Gill Art

©Wendy Gill Art

©Wendy Gill Art

©Wendy Gill Art

©Wendy Gill Art

You can also see all the fun photo of the event on my Facebook page.