ARTiculAction
Susan LaMantia
after the ball 30” x 30” Acrylic
All or nothing at all 30” x 30” Acrylic
but will go in after I have color on the canvas, or paper, and move the color around with my hands. There are handmade pigment sticks that are soft and luscious, using my hands to blend or define an area is a visceral response that adds to my involvement with my work. When I paint with acrylics I apply a layer of paint on either the canvas or my hands, let the color dry on the canvas then add a layer of high gloss polymer medium, let it dry and continue adding color, then medium, and on and on. The polymer helps to seal the color, add depth and keep a clarity to the acrylic. I use liquid gloves on my hands prior to my painting, as well as in between each layer of color and polymer. Sometimes I make a thumbnail sketch in one of my sketchbooks to use as a departure for a painting.
July for display during the month of August, I challenged myself with the use of circles, something I had not used extensively in my work. Now let's focus on your art production: I would start from your Feels So Good and Moon Dance that our readers have already started to admire in the introductory pages of this article: and I would suggest to visit your website directly at http://www.susanlamantia.com in order to get a wider idea of it. In the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of these interesting pieces? What was your initial inspiration?
“Feels so Good” is an acrylic- 48” x 60”. I had gotten several new Charvin and Matisse tubes of acrylic paint and was delighted to be working large with such yummy colors. It was Spring, door open to my studio, nature is beginning to bloom, my jazz music is blasting, incense is being burned and a bird flew into my studio, resting on a table. The bird twisted its head one way then the other, flapped its wings, made a circle in the studio and flew away. It felt so good to be visited by the bird, as though the bird
The spontaneity in my work would be lost if I replicated exactly what is in the sketch. I like to challenge myself in my work. I've been known to do a series of paintings with my non-dominant hand, that series was called “On the Other Hand”. Or to limit the color of my palette. Most recently, for my upcoming exhibition opening at the end of
Jennifer Sims
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