I wanted to create a hibiscus next but not a typical red, yellow or white. There's a very strangely colored hibiscus in my parent's neighborhood. It's enormous and in shades of lavender blue and sherbet orange with a fuchsia center. She's extra and a perfectly odd choice. I also wanted to try carving out the background to change up what I'd done so far with flowers.
After carving out the background, I started with a bright lemon yellow followed by orange.
Very early on this was reminding me of the Brady's set and the daughters late 60's early 70's wardrobes, and it was quickly named "Marcia Marcia Marcia". Next color, bubble gum pink.
Final Layer of the flowers before the leaf colors. The periwinkle blue or lavender blue (dilly dilly). I was a little scared at this point that perhaps I had made an ick color scheme mistake.
But when the avocado green saturated into it, I loved it yet again.
Going through my photos for this one I somehow missed documenting the mixing of the two green layers. I think I was rinsing my tools in the sink when I remembered. Shoot!
"Marcia Marcia Marcia"
6 Color Layers / Edition of 11
The next block began in another composition in May and titled "All the Single Ladies" with a carved out background and each flower apart. I liked the colors but not the ladies apart, it was just too much negative space around them. It no longer looked like a reduction but separate carvings put together. So "All the Single Ladies" became "Ladies in Waiting" in June, I started over with a new block and new composition, I added their leaves and put the ladies together in a garden. Because aren't we waiting together? I'm not all by myself, I've got ladies around me and extra foliage now too.
I began with the torch ginger as it has white lined petals. And PINK, which I realize now that some close shade of this had made it into every relief accept "In Florescent".
Orange was next because it's a key color in the Parrot Beak heliconia. I decided to trim the Caribaea Heliconia as well. Sure the one in our garden is trimmed in yellow but...artistic license. Also because I was omitting yellow on this one.
The third layer was bright red. Now this shouldn't be the next layer because it's difficult to cover and I had a lot of layers to go. However the Torch, being trimmed in white, will fill in with all the other colors making red difficult later, so it was a judgement call.
Because I just shot myself in the foot, color mixing wise, by using this bright, I just cut my finger with my fancy Japanese carving tool Red. I actually did do that on this one, my FIRST cut and thank God it was not the deepest. Quick rinse, peroxide and waterproof Band-Aid and I was back in the wood working room with a sharp blade in hand.
I decided to go with Mint Green next which kind of gave me a blank slate for the next two greens... Also I really like this mint green. It will make a more best supporting role in a future piece. And let's be real, probably alongside pink.
Art Deco Green and Kelly Green.
I never do this one-handed! ;p
The leaves and stocks of the Torch leaves are a deep wine purple.
Think Malbec. I realized I'd be shooting myself yet again if I went with it next but I needed the background color to be last and I needed a wine red (think Pinot) to be after the purple because of the big Anthurium and the Torch stock.
THIS WAS A VERY COMPLICATED ONE.
Much like Marcia 3X at this stage I thought...ought oh. As much as I like Wine, I was not liking it in this piece. Totally feeling Jan. I mixed up several colors that absolutely did not work with this red being beneath it. So before I got too frustrated, I stopped, cleaned all my tools and slept on it. The next morning I looked at my test ones and didn't like any of them. I prayed about it and waited for a knowing. There were no tests ones left to experiment on. I wanted a dark green for the background but the previous greens had not covered the red. One even made it very close to the previous purple. But even though it appeared like it would not work, I tried again, mixing up a very bright green then adding a smidge of black.
And Hallelujah, it covered the red! And Finished, 9 colors later. The most layers of any of my previous reliefs...so far.
"Ladies in Waiting"
9 Color Layers / Edition of 22
Gallery BTS…Laying the framed collection on the floor to arrange the wall layout.
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