Whimsy Archives - Constance Patterson

LET THEM EAT CAKE

LET THEM EAT CAKE
OIL ON GOLD LEAF
6 X 6
$600.00

Marie would have been so happy to be given a bed of gold leaf. In this image, she looks as in-charge as ever. Her don’t-mess-with-me aura comes through and yet she is a fascinating now as ever.

This small piece is painted on gold leaf and heavily distressed, but the cut away of the pigment reveals the gold leaf and gives it a nice energetic feel. The size means that the strong coloration does not overwhelm and is kept in balance with the gold.

Don’t forget to click on the image to get a more detailed view of Marie A. in all her glory.

The Later Years of Italian Putti III

THE LATER YEARS OF ITALIAN PUTTI III
OIL 24 X 18
$1,000.00

This image is the third of my Italian Putti that asks the question, “Where do all those cute cherubs go once they grow up?” A lot of them learn to play instruments as they cavort up in the ether, but they couldn’t all be rock stars in later life. This guy apparently pursued a musical career.

Once again the piece is heavily textured and uses the palette knife to create rough and smooth surfaces that lead to a sense of ambiguity. He has an etherial quality, but at the same time is current and of the real world. He is solid and transparent at the same time.

The work is also developed on a diagonal grid, much like the earlier pieces of the same title, but this guy has an entirely different color scheme. He is also done on a gessoed board which changes the nature of the finished piece. Without the springiness of a canvas surface, the palette knife becomes more aggressive when used this way.

The piece is available through Xanadu Gallery’s Studio Artist web site. Don’t forget to click on the image for an enlarged view.

Receiving News From the Other Side

RECEIVING NEWS FROM THE OTHER SIDE
UNFRAMED OIL 30X24
$1200.00

This is the latest Diva from my studio. As an addition to my ‘Divas and Other Creatures, it reads as part of the line that goes back years through all sorts of images and media. But this one really brings a new spontenaity to the table.

I really had a hard time deciding on the title, as I felt that it could also be a commentary on the tech-head, the over use of digital images, or the spaciness of anyone using an electronic device. They all share that otherworldly stare, and appear cut off from the real world when listening to incoming messages.

The receiving lines / antennae are pinstripes of luminescent orange that reflect into the digital input of pixels floating around in the atmosphere. But here is the real question, is that a black hole looming over the image, or is it the real world looking black and indecipherable in contrast to the bright lights of the digital world? So many questions.

This piece is available through Xanadugallery.com under the studio artists listing. Don’t forget to click on the image to get a close up view.

Queen of Hearts

QUEEN OF HEARTS
OIL 24 X 20
SOLD

I love this piece of whimsey. She is the result of a fascination with the older forms of portraiture that use a standard pose with embellishments. They all sit the same way, and wear the same kind of costumes and look to be frozen in time. They all look to be a bit trapped in their backgrounds. However, I found that by trying to replicate the technique it is revealed that the sitter’s face comes alive in this type of portrait. By painting away the other parts, the face becomes more alive.

The use of a diagonal grid is very evident in this piece. It is almost as if she has been trapped in the maze of lines that underlay the work. However, her face is very strong, and overcomes the background patterns.

By working with the piece as if it were a study of the older portrait form, I found that I could understand why this format continues to satisfy viewers. The very fact that the image is flat, allows the human features to become dominate. It was a very interesting exercise, and I plan to work with a similar format again.

Cow Symphony

COW SYMPHONY
OIL 12 X 24
SOLD

I just finished this painting. Don’t you just love those belted cows!!!

It is called Cow Symphony, and is a 12 x 24 oil on canvas. I have always loved cow images, but I especially like these guys because they reminded me of piano keys strolling across the field.

I used it as the portrait for my new Twitter page, as well as the main image for my entry, via Facebook, for Art Takes Time Square, part of the Artists Wanted competition that will be showing this year in NYC. All in all, the painting is getting a workout. To find out more about the competition check out artistswanted.org And, if you are really into the whole electronic schtick, you can follow me on Twitter at CPDSGN_Art

In other news, progress is being made on my new web site which will contain all of my new work, as well as commentary on individual pieces as I post them. So it is shaping up to be a busy spring here in the burbs.

The Later Years of Italian Putti II

THE LATER YEARS OF ITALIAN PUTTI
OIL 24 X 18
$900.00

I just received notification that I was a finalist in the Artist Magazine Annual Competition. This piece was entered in the Abstract & Experimental category.

I was a finalist last year in the landscape category and am really psyched that I have, yet again, achieved recognition at such a high level. The winners will be featured in the December issue of the magazine, and my name will be listed.

Titled “The Later Years of Italian Putti II”, it is one of a series that I have been working on using palette knife and an underlying diagonal grid. I am really happy that this piece placed well in the competition, as it represents the direction that I am moving in my artistic development.

Don’t forget to click on the image to view more detail.