CURIOUS MINIS: MAKING OF THE COLLECTION

The “Curious Minis” collection they will be available on Friday August 11th 2023 at 11 am MST in the shop section of the website!

If you have questions about any of the pieces or want to see more images email info@ashleyannart.co

Learning to think about old ideas in new ways, we can embrace shifts in perspective that provide a deeper understanding and acceptance of our lives.

This is the overarching theme behind the art that I create, that not only is it beautiful to look at but that it inspires you to think deeper.

“Curious Minis” is a collection of 8 original abstract mixed media paintings on canvas. All sized at 11 x 14 in and inspired by the idea of whimsical thinking that can help us find lightness even in the darkest of times.

This collection is a continuation of my first collection “Authenticity” in terms of color palette and composition. I wanted to continue to explore the neutral color palette of black, whites, tans and golds with mixed media materials showing through the paint and being focal in the pieces. Instead of painting on large canvas, the collection was created on 8 same sized canvas that were all 11 in x 14 in, hence the title “minis.” Each piece is accented with gold leaf paint.

Started in May of 2020 in a time when the world was so serious, unknown, working on this little body of work was a way to connect into something light hearted and silly. I would sit on my living room floor and watch episodes of Grace and Frankie on Netflix, a perfect show that combines silly and serious all together. I would look through old magazines for things to cut out, a creative process of mine when I’m not sure what to make. I started gravitating towards interior design advertisements that showcased different light fixtures.

I title all my pieces through a word that is hidden in the work. So, I figured why not make the title of the painting a focus on these pieces. Something curious that would make you think, why did she choose that word? This idea of combining a light fixture with a word within an abstract painting then allowing my mind to ponder the piece, construct an entire scene or evoke the idea of a place within each painting felt like a process of exploring curiosity. In the end each piece evokes a different idea or place or circumstance.

If you connect with the idea of curiosity, and a little whimsey, I invite you to explore each of the pieces below and the meaning behind the materials.


“Pie”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“ART”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

Next came “ART” which was also individual letters cut out from a magazine. Paired with a contemporary light fixture from an Elle Decor magazine circa 2016 with exposed white round bulbs. You will see a few of the paintings have a 1/2 in painted cream edge giving the illusion of a frame. This pairing reminds me of an old warehouse converted into an art studio with modern light fixtures. Something I hope to have one day. Also included in this piece is handcrafted paper from a small art supply store in Chicago named Martha Mae.

The first piece I created was “Pie” and I paired it with a magnificent crystal chandelier. Layered on top with gold leaf paint to enhance the shine even more. The title of “Pie” came out of scrapbook paper. I had only so many letters, and found I could make the word Pie. It felt fitting and whimsical paired with the crystal chandelier and reminds me of the palace in Versailles in France with its uncontained opulence.

 

“Bouquet in Gold”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“Bouquet in Gold” has a vintage focus, with the little sconce, floral designs and words on paper coming from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine from 1970. One day I was on a walk and saw someone cleaning out an old house, and next to the dumpster was an entire box of these old magazines. Instead of getting tossed they now have been finding a second life within my paintings. Also in this one is an excerpt from a very old book I found in a Minneapolis antique shop that was in bad shape. Its thin worn out pages provide the perfect color to layer into the painting, and the text gives that mixed media feeling I love when created a collaged painting. This painting reminds me of a grandma’s kitchen, warm and inviting.






“Gourmet Holiday”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“Gourmet Holiday” is so fun to me, because it is such a great saying! It was again from that better homes and gardens magazine as part of an article on how to ready your home for hosting over the holidays. Paired with a contemporary light fixture from a 2016 Elle decor magazine, this painting has less mixed media images, instead bringing focus to the paint with bold black sections contrasted with bright white. My favorite part is the bottom left corner, paper towels layered with black paint to highlight the crinkle texture with a paper lace place setting above it. A fitting companion to a piece inspired by hosting a gourmet holiday in your home.

“Watch your garden grow”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“Watch your garden grow” is similar to Gourmet holiday, with more paint and less mixed media materials. The saying comes from the Better Homes and Gardens magazines, which I paired with the same floral design cut outs from Boquet in gold. They were part of an advertisement for different seed packets to mail in purchase for your garden.

I chose this saying because I think it’s an important reminder in life, you don’t harvest the flowers the day you plant the seed. Subtle, but centered the saying is paired with a modern light fixture of beaded strings which looks like it would take a long time to construct and another node to trusting and enjoying the process.

“Postage”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“Postage” is great and another favorite. Hidden among the modern day paint strokes are vintage ads from old magazines. A contemporary light fixture sits atop the darkest corner of the canvas. Although the light is on, it’s not illuminating anything. Curious, no? The postage is up in the corner, resembling a stamp. This was a little sticker I collected somewhere along the way in my art material shopping. I like the juxtaposition of the modern light and paint strokes, with the ode to the past with the vintage ads and idea of sending an actual letter or postcard, which can be few and far between these days. Postage is one of two paintings in this collections with the painted border, giving it that look of a postcard filled with a story, waiting to be mailed.

“Parisian Hybrids”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“Parisian Hybrids” was only paint for a long time, until I decided to create the cohesive story of light fixture + whimsical saying as a common theme in this collection. This one has only a few mixed media pieces showing, although almost the entirety of the canvas is layered with paper and painted over. From the 2016 Elle Décor magazine I found a vintage inspired chandelier that was very reminiscent of European design. So when I found the descriptor “Parisian Hybrids” in the vintage better homes and gardens (I think it was discussing chairs, or maybe flowers) it again felt like the perfect juxtaposition of old and new. Lots of gold leaf on this painting to evoke that elegance and glamour found in the architecture when walking the streets in Paris.

“A Fine Match”

11 x 14 in

Unframed canvas

“A Fine Match” was the last piece to be created and finished in the collection. Inspired by the idea of a glass of champagne in low light setting on an early evening in the winter, this painting has a table lamp and a champagne flute. The materials here are all modern, found in the 2016 Elle Décor magazine, yet it evokes a sense of wonder and a thread of continuity throughout history, that the glow of a lamp and the bubbles of a glass of champagne have always been a fine match.

Thank you for reading all about the “Curious Minis” collection and exploring my creative process.

If you resonate with any of the pieces in the Curious Minis collection they are now available in the shop section of the website!

If you have questions about any of the pieces or want to see more images email info@ashleyannart.co

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