New Work - "First Encounter"

 First Encounter  © Barbara A. Freeman
Graphite and Mixed Media on Film 8 1/2" x 8"

Here she is, my latest river siren placed in a Pacific Northwest landscape.  This time I've given her a frog to keep her company.  The frog was inspired from one I spotted while on a hike at Lake 22  in the North Cascades.  Like most of my work in this series, Wood Nymphs and Other Curiosities, this drawing was done in graphite on film, with colored pencil on the reverse side.  Lastly, back to the front with a thin glaze of interference violet on her tail and a few other places to add a bit of sparkle.

 Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae)

Lake Twentytwo - North Cascades  2011/07

The frog is a Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae), this one was camera shy but I did manage to get this photo of him.

Below are a few photos of the work as it progressed and then the final scanned image again at the end. I really enjoyed creating this piece.  I love drawing trees and rocks so that part was meditation for me.  The tree branches and water were another story! I think the most difficult part of the work was the water.  By the time I got that far, I was ready to be finished!  Getting a  good range of values to read as water wasn't easy.  There was so much going on with the patterns and textures in the rocks and wood that I wanted to make that area quiet.  I needed to show some rocks under the surface and on the edge as well as the quiet movement of the water near the shore without making it too active.  

 First Encounter  © Barbara A. Freeman
Graphite and Mixed Media on Film 8 1/2" x 8"

My intention was to create a space in which to be calm and perhaps ponder what will happen next, after the First Encounter.

Now it's on to the next project, creating fine art miniatures for all the spring shows.  Those deadlines are fast approaching!   I'm hoping to have work, fine art miniatures and larger work, in the following shows:

March   Gallery North - Edmonds, WA (miniatures and small works show)
April  Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, NC  (miniatures only show)
May  Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA  (miniatures only show)
June  Edmonds Arts Festival, Edmonds, WA  (juried art festival which includes a miniature category) 
June  LiveARTS Bothell, Bothell, WA  (juried art festival which includes a miniature category)
Spring  UNCLAD, Stanwood, WA  (Date coming, rescheduled for the spring)  (Unclad (nude) Figure Show)

I will announce any new shows I'll have work in on this blog as they approach and new work when completed so please do check back.  As always I thank you for taking  the time to read about my work.   It may be winter now, but fear not! spring will be here before you know it!