Girl with Pearls a Fugitive Sexy Painting

I don't normally do Commissions…. In-fact i try and avoid them like the plague. Lets be serious when someone asks for something in-particular, that means that already have an idea of what they won't and don't want and their always seams to be a time issue….

Its the one reason I avoid doing Commissions and yet when I was approached by a woman to paint something "Sexy for My bedroom" I knew exactly what she was looking for… 

Girl with Pearls 

80 x 80 cm oil on canvas painting

She had seen several paintings of figures i have done over the years and was very interested… We sat and chatted over coffee, very frankly about what she was looking for and how she wanted to feel and look…     

I must admit I was initially resistant to the idea of doing a sexy painting for her bedroom and knowing her I doubted that it would be a private image…. She would show the painting to everyone…. and why not.

"I'm an Abstract Artist if you want portraits and such alike Im probably not the artist to ask" I challenged… She was having none of it and said or something along the lines of,  "Ive seen what you paint and I like it. Your Paintings convey a feeling a sense of action it's not just figures i want to see its all the questions and possibilities that they will pose that interest me". 

OK all I have to do is paint a group of figures having sex???? that are sexy, figurative, abstract and pose questions about what is happening? why? where? and even more no time limit …. What an interesting Challenge… what's is an artist to do..

This oil Painting is one of the trail pieces. a test so to speak, where I can explore different styles and approaches. I especially like the use of the wide black lines that surround the figure and the thick creamy green paint that created blocks and squares 

Ok its not to everyones taste, but that makes the world an interesting place…The Other paintings completed as studies for this commission so far are Five figures (hosted on website) explores liens and colours in a different way while Thrown Down is a volatile mixed media painting that brings together subtlety and raw energy and A Painting in progress which i'm currently still working on at the moment.

See more Modern or abstract paintings by the artist visit www.mjo-art.com for a unique collection of fantastic and diverse paintings as well as lots of articles and much more besides.

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes

Painting Three Acrylic Studies

These Three Acrylic Studies painted as working study for a larger painting to be completed in oils on a large canvas that was lying around is one way to focus the mind and sort out those little problems of composition and colour. 

It not that I normally intend to frame and sell such studies but the effect of the three acrylic studies paintings looked fantastic as a set, Each original acrylic painting are about 30 x 40 cm and priced at £65 each, although I would happily sell all three for £150 which would make a vibrant and warm set of paintings that would compliment any home. 

Working Study 1

Working Study 2

Working Study 3

One of the main reasons for using acrylics Paints is the fast drying times allowing any artist to turn out a number of test pieces in paint that consider tone and proportions, although often transferring such an image onto a larger canvas can alter the overall painting considerably.

In this case the Canvas measures 100 x 120 cm which is about as large as I cam manage in my studio at Hylands House.  I have prepared the Painting with a thick and textured layer of Acrylic colour and allowed this to dry throughly, creating a fantastic surface that should shine through the finished painting. 

Acrylic Studies have a valid and important part to play in the process of painting and perhaps all three of these dramatic and visually pleasing acrylic paintings have been very useful in making the larger piece more successful as an original painting.

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes.

Art Show Grand Opening

Add this date to your Diary Now…. 

12 totally Unique and Individual Abstract Paintings using the exclusive method developed by the Artist on specially prepared USB boards, creating fabulous texture.

Grand Opening 

21st December  7pm and 9pm…

Art Show Open to The Public

Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd 

from 10am onwards...

At

Hylands House Visitors Centre

Chelmsford. 

Essex, UK,  CM2 8QW

A unique painting method 

Painted in vibrant Oil's on a specially prepared USB board. This unique painting method uses specially prepared USB board creates a textured and cracked surface which produces a fascinating surface to work on.                                                                                                             

This New painting Process Developed over years of trial and error by the artist Mark Johansen has perfected a unique method of preparing an unusual surface on which to paint these fantastic abstract paintings.

By carefully Controlling the process of preparation Mark has created a painting surface that is highly absorbent and potently fragile, this however is Half the Charm of these unique Paintings, It take a good deal of Practice and Skill to get the detail and texture just right which is paramount for these Unique Abstract Paintings.

With different applications methods and approaches creates the fine cracks makes a crackle type finish or even smooth finish, if desired. In places he has even removed pieces of the boards itself and placed them in other arrears in the paintings adding to the Unique Character these Abstract Paintings have to offer any art lover. 

The process of Painting in oil paints and varnish is equally important as it helps stabilise the surface and yet if applied with great care still leaves the surface cracks visible if desired, that make these Characteristic Abstract paintings feel delicate and yet beautifully absorbing. 

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes

Artists Website Starting From Scratch.

Artists Website Starting From Scratch. 

I set out to create an Artists Website that offers more than just the average and Starting again from Scratch seamed like the only way to make the website different from the normal artist offerings online. 

As an Artist Just having a website is not enough. Most of the time spent is trying to promote what yourself as an artist and surprisingly little time is actually spent painting….  This ultimately this has led to a number of Changes of Directions needed to achieve this aspect of Marketing myself as an artist. 

The Studio at Hylands House is just a starting point, being in front of the general public has dramatically altered some of my perceptions and I am constantly surprised and delighted by the reactions that the Paintings have on the average individual in the street, even if they would not normally understand or appreciate Abstract Paintings. 

As an artist its Fantastic, I am Creating New Paintings that are Brilliant, Meeting New people and possibilities, Communicating with other artists, Growing in confidence, Selling Work and a whole lot more besides, but the hours Im committing to the studio comes at a cost. I have neglected Facebook, Blogs and even the Artists Website I have struggled with for so long.

Creating the new artist website has seamed to take for ever, especially when you're doing it in your spear time and along with all the trials and tribulations, problems of computers, Lost and corrupted files and suchlike it dose really feel like that. as much as anything the more i have learnt has led to changes in direction and starting from scratch for the new artist website  

What is it that you want your website to do? 

The first question any web designer must ask is what is it you want to achieve. Just like any website, The Website has to be interesting, simple and easy to navigate. Do you want Your Artist Website to :

• Sell Paintings? 
• Promote and Show your Work? 
• Create a Buss and Interest in Art? 
• Capture Email and contact information?
• Sign up to social networks? 
• Inform and educate?
• Or something else?

It might be all or some of the above, but no mater what it is you want It is vital that a high volume of hits are required to achieve your goals. A website without visitors is pointless. Getting your website in front of enough people requires getting a balance of content, keywords and quality webpages that rank highly enough on Google is harder than it sounds, just throwing a few pages together online and hopping for the best just won't cut it.   

Thankfully there is a lot of help and information available online, but it still requires a huge amount of investment in time and effort to create all the original content in a way that is simple and strait forward for even the average man in the street, to understand and Appreciate the Modern art I create. This process is finally getting to a point where I can truly say that I have crated a really useful and valuable artists website from scratch.

Every painting in the website has useful descriptions and explanations, there are helpful Art Articles and a Sketchbook page offering unique insights into art and painting, along with information about my role as a Resident artist, the studio at Hylands House, contact information and how to buy paintings and much more besides. I still have much to do but hopefully in the new year or by spring at the latest the website will be ready for launch fingers crossed. 

Great Art in the Heart of Essex

A New and Exciting Art Event is taking place in the heart of Essex.... Artists,  Exhibits, Live Displays and Activities offer fun day out for the whole family.

As an Artist and Painter of lively and colourful abstract paintings, being asked to take part in this fantastic new art event In Chelmsford was a brilliant and terrifying opportunity that I just could not miss. 

Mona Marnell who is one of the Resident Artist at Hylands House in Essex has organised and planed this great new art event in the hart of Essex with Free entry and exhibitors from all over the county, showing artwork, paintings and much much more, along with live action painting displays and activities for all.

Art in the Park is being held on the 30th June at Hylands House Chelmsford CM2 8WQ, So why not come along for a day out and enjoy the great art in the heart if essex.

for more information you can contact Mona or call Hylands House directly 

01245 605 500 

email Mona mona@monamarnellglass.co.uk

Easy abstract paintings in acrylics

I spent a few moments today having a quick browse around google and came across a really interesting site about how to paint abstract paintings with acrylic paints in a variety of styles and methods...

Well worth a look if you are interested in abstract painting and exploring new and interesting ways to paint beautiful paintings that capture the imagination. There are lots of simple to follow video tutorials and much more besides that got into detail about tools and techniques  that make it easy for any one to paint fantastic acrylic paintings. 

abstractartoriginal.blogspot.co.uk

one small thing and the world is changed

Its seam a funny thing, you change one small thing and the next thing you know a whole world has in some small way altered. Perhaps it just a perception but sooner or later that feels like a reality even if it dose not become one over night.

My profile image on Google+

Ok so why all the fuss, well, I changed my profile picture on Google +, in part as a protest over a couple of bills that where going before congress concerning as I saw it the freedom of information and what I believed was some kind of censorship that was being allowed through the back door. 

But you don't even live in the USA some said. True, but the internet don't know that, even if it gave a toss... The simple fact is as an artist my work is seen and interpreted by others based on their values and not mine, my reasons and ideals often mean nothing to someone else.

I knew at the time and had no doubt that my little protest would make any impact on the events of the time. I mean its just a small photo of me that I fiddled with, to almost black out my image. However as time has gone on I have looked again and again at the half seen image straining to see more... Which set me to wondering is that not how we normally see the world around us... 

Do we as individuals and artists alike really take the time to look and see, or is just a collection of half seen images and fleeting glimpses that we take for granted and where we allow our brains to fill in the blanks, assuming that is that we even care about what we see based on the thousands of images that are thrust upon us every day through the media, advertising and the internet.

The simple fact is that few of us have the time to really look at the world as it rushes by. For me Facebook and Google+ are just a collection of images that might catch my eye from time to time drawing me to the headline that might, if its really lucky get me to look a little deeper and even read a few words on a good day, assuming I have the time... and the inclination.

The more  that I have thought about the more that I have been playing with the images I see and have actually stated looking at the idea of painting those half seen images as though that are a reality...  

Her argument devoid of reason

Her argument devoid of reason, a photo by Mjo-art on Flickr.

a new and expressive painting exploring my response to an interesting discussion with a girlfriend... as you can see it was a colourful conversation that left me confused and bewildered.

Although I don't normally react to events quite so dramatically in this particular instance I found refreshing and liberating to explore my feelings so vividly