Art From 100 Poppies

100 Lupins. Drawing with Sumi Ink on primed shopping bag paper. 2014

 This post is about the paintings that I exhibited at Proteus Gowanus back in June 2014. I started with three large drawings that later lead to the creation of the oil paintings. With these drawings I tested out ideas of repeating the same form over and over with-in the same picture. I used sumi ink that I could wash off the page after I made a quick gesture. The cleaning left ghost images that added up layer upon layer. I adapted this process and expanded it incorporating color and transitioning to paint.The painted surface was not erased between layers. It was simply built up layer upon layer for 100 times.
Later I repeated the original process with sumi ink. This time I used gessoed wood panel instead of paper.

"Six Poppies Drawn 100 times". Drawing with Sumi Ink on primed shopping bag paper. 2014

Sugar Beats, 100 times.Drawing with Sumi Ink on primed shopping bag paper. 2014

This photo show the first ten layers of under painted poppies. This painting became "Six Poppies Painted 100 Times". I would let the oil paint dry between layers. I would typically paint ten gestures per painting session.

The finished painting "Six Poppies Painted 100 Times" Oil on Panel, 2014, 24"x 32"

Studio view with toned panels that became the finished painted below.

Poppie Painted 100 Times- Dark Poppie, Oil on Panel, 2014, 22"x 18"

"100 Sugar Beats" Oil on Panel, 2014, 25"x 18"

“100 Sugar Beats” 2014, 20” x 16”, Sumi ink on panel

"100 Poppies" 2014, 20” x 16”, Sumi ink on panel

"100 Poppies (Light)", Oil on Panel, 2014, 22"x 26"

"100 Lupins" ” 2014, 20” x 16”, Sumi ink on panel

"100 Poppies 1914-2014" Mixed Media on paper shopping bags. 2014, 4’ feet x 16’ feet.