The process behind the FULL MOON FROG POND paintings

Presenting ...the making of the three original paintings inspired by Gregory Rosa's deep listening CD release: FULL MOON FROG POND. In this blog I'm taking you 'behind the scenes' into my studio to see the process of creating the pond triptych paintings..enjoy!

I started this triptych of paintings with a walk with Greg around the Frog Pond near Jericho beach where he originally recorded the frog sounds that inspired this compilation. During this walk we formulated the idea of creating original art work to go with the CD release as a special edition for collectors and also to raise money for the Wilderness Committee.

I began by asking Greg for any paperwork on this music project that I could use to formulate the content of these paintings. He gave me images for the CD cover and back as well as an aerial view of the frog pond, a sketch of his music score notes "FMFP thinking", an image of a frog and a copy of the music itself. My content was clear: frogs and my focus the frog pond - both interlaced with the music that Greg created from this.

My next step was to get clear on my colour. I chose to follow the greens used in his album cover along with an analogous suite of colours including green shades, blues, whites and blacks.

I began by laying out the three Arches 300 pound water colour paper and sketching out in pencil the layout of the frog pond, based on the aerial view and through it the lines noting where Greg made the recordings of the frog sounds. I used a T-square ruler to make the lines and drew triangles where they intersected.

I drew an outline of the pond and I then used clear tar gel to outline the pond and for later when I would put in the "water" so it wouldn't go outside of the pond borders. I used white gesso around the pond to prime the marshland for painting of the analogous greens.

I wanted to keep the aerial image of the path around the pond where we walked and talked bout this project to begin with. I used Artist Safe Removal tape and GAC 500 to delineate the path around the pond.

I used wet on wet india ink for the ground layer of the pond and its black edges. The effects created where similar to what we saw in the aerial photograph which was exciting and gave the pond some nice features and characteristics. The ink and water stayed within the boundaries because of the clear tar gel surrounding it.

The black and white painting really resembled the aerial photograph!

This part was so fun! I love wet on wet india ink on paper!

I then painted the green marsh land - the frog's homes- surrounding the pond.

After the india ink layer was dry I began to layer the lake with liquid acrylic paint mixed with gloss medium polymer to give the lake its glossy sheen. I applied several layers like this, allowing each one to dry after the next one. when the paint began to puddle or pool in one area I used a large sea sponge to remove excess paint and the action of moving the sponge over the lake reminded me of frogs hopping around which was fun and resonance of the theme.

Once the lake and the marsh land were dry, i took the papers Greg had given me and reverse transferred them into the painting. Look closely and you will see image of frogs, the album cover, the music score.

I then added scratch marks denoting the foldable surrounding the pond with pencil and lyra pencil crayons within the green marshy area and also did some loose sketches of frogs…as well as writing in with india ink (PITT pens) the titles of the scores on this album. These markings are all hidden beneath a final wash of titanium white i used over the green marshy area.

To complete the paintings I painted them with a gloss medium water mixture isolation coat and varnish them with museum quality archival varnish. greg and I will then have them photographed as their full 3 pieces and then tear them into 27 individual abstract pieces of the pond which will be available to collectors as a limited edition with the FULL MOON FROG POND CD.

To buy a piece of the pond, and own an original limited edition copy of FULL MOON FROG POND CD click here to see what's available, please note that CD's are only available for art collectors:

http://www.gregoryrosa.com/FMFP/ownapiece/index.htm

Come and see the paintings in the flesh and party with us all weekend long, here are ALL the details: http://debchaney.blogspot.com/2010/11/its-comingcanadas-biggest-open-artist.html

You want the music but you don't want to buy any art...no worries.. you can download the CD here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gregoryrosa

Yes, we have a facebook page: click here to join us: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FULL-MOON-FROG-POND/104171339656435

You want to interview Greg & Deb because you think this is so way cool! Please contact

Press Contact:
Naomi Dayneswood

Naomi_Thomas@shaw.ca

604.322.37057

New work: pieces of the pond

I'd like to share with you a few of my favorite original art pieces of the pond available with a limited edition FULL MOON FROG POND CD...

(personally I like these individually pieces even better than the whole pond as they each take on a life of their own...some resembling abstract landscape pieces...) enjoy!

#02_006

FULL MOON FROG POND series

9 x 12" Mixed Media, Acrylics, India Ink, & Collage

on 300 pound paper

(C) 2010 Deb Chaney

click here to see if this piece is available

#02_001

FULL MOON FROG POND series

9 x 12" Mixed Media, Acrylics, India Ink, & Collage

on 300 pound paper

(C) 2010 Deb Chaney

click here to see if this piece is available

#01_005

FULL MOON FROG POND series

9 x 12" Mixed Media, Acrylics, India Ink, & Collage

on 300 pound paper

(C) 2010 Deb Chaney

click here to see if this piece is available

#01_008

FULL MOON FROG POND series

9 x 12" Mixed Media, Acrylics, India Ink, & Collage

on 300 pound paper

(C) 2010 Deb Chaney

click here to see if this piece is available

#01_004

FULL MOON FROG POND series

9 x 12" Mixed Media, Acrylics, India Ink, & Collage

on 300 pound paper

(C) 2010 Deb Chaney

click here to see if this piece is available

Own a piece of the pond!

You are cordially invited to the CD release and art unveiling of “FULL MOON FROG POND” on Friday, November 26^th at 6pm , as part of Vancouver’s Eastside Cultural Crawl at Deb Chaney’s studio, 1790 Vernon Drive.

Monday November 29, 2010, Vancouver, B.C., Canada - Vancouver sound artist Gregory Rosa and abstract painter Deb Chaney joined forces to create a CD and painting series—FULL MOON FROG POND—and will donate 10% of their proceeds to the Wilderness Committee, Canada’s largest membership-based, citizen-funded wilderness protection group.

The couple’s “Own A Piece of the Pond!” campaign is designed to raise money for the Committee by offering original artwork that complements the music, as a special limited edition for sale to art collectors. The couple will be having a CD release and art unveiling on Friday, November 26th atChaney’s studio, as part of Vancouver’s annual Eastside Culture Crawl.

Rosa layered the main track of the CD using a field recording he made of Pacific Tree Frogs at Jericho Park on a full moon springtime night. Inspired by the music, Chaney created an abstract mixed media acrylic triptych, based on the outline of the pond. Chaney then tore each panel into nine individual abstract pieces, and these 27 pieces are available to collectors with an accompanying CD. A high-quality, limited edition photographic reproduction of the triptych is also available, also with CD.

Gregory Rosa (né Molesky) is an emerging New Music sound artist who creates contemplative, deep listening works. He is also a writer-director, and currently has a project in development as part of Telefilm’s Feature Film Fund. http://gregoryrosa.com

Deb Chaney is an emerging contemporary abstract artist who paints large layered mixed media abstract paintings on canvas and paper. Her most recent body of work, “Pure Abstraction,” takes her art to a deeper level in expressing her deep passion for nature via the thick layering of mixed medias, sand, paper and acrylic paints. http://www.debchaney.com

The Wilderness Committee, founded in 1980, is a registered non-profit society with charitable status. With over 30,000 members from coast to coast to coast, and 40,000 additional donors and volunteers, they are Canada’s largest membership-based, citizen-funded wilderness protection group. http://wildernesscommittee.org/

Press Contact:
Naomi Dayneswood

Naomi_Thomas@shaw.ca

604.322.37057

Breathing Space...Vancouver in the fall

Some beautiful photos my Dad took when we were on a walk around the city of Vancouver this fall...(he's obsessed with mushrooms!)

Leaves are gorgeous! Sometimes on our way to school Ruthie and I see if we can catch one as it falls directly off the tree!

In high school I used to collect leaves on my way to school and then press them in my text books!

Studio for Rent, Dec 1st, Vancouver, BC

Artist Studio for Rent Dec 1. 2010. At 1790 Vernon Drive and called the Old Foundry Building. The building houses many small businesses and our part is about 1800 square feet. We house artists and film makers. Our neighbours are an iron worker and a carpenter and a stone workers. The space that is available costs 229.00 and is about 225 square feet. It shares 450 square feet with another person who is rarely there. Good light access to water and no heat (everyone uses space heaters. Electricity is paid for in the 229.00. There are two other painters in the space one downstairs and one up adjacent to the space that is available. The rest of the ware house which is used by people in the film industry who essentially use it for storage. We are on in Culture Crawl. Inquiries Rojia Dash - rojia121@hotmail.com

Introducing the artists at the Old Foundry Building

Introducing the Artists working at 1790 and 1760 Vernon Drive,

The Old Foundry Buildling (map link)

The artist at the Old Foundry Building. We are stone and wood sculptures, sketchers, painters, jewerly makers, metal workers, designers, cooks and more. Come visit us November 26-27 28th Friday Saturday and Sunday for our OPEN STUDIO EVENT exhibits and sales during the 14th Annual Culture Crawl.

A bit about the "Old Foundry Warehouse" We do not have a date when the warehouse was built but it originally was a foundry. Some of the things that were made and repaired at the foundry were varied and spanned several industries. There was marine parts, wood processing, railway parts and mining supplies - wheels to bollards. Cast steel, cast iron, bronze and copper were some of the materials used to produce items. Now the Old Foundry Building houses many small businesses from several artists, to a fitness centre, to a dog day care and there remains one iron worker.

Marie Bortolotto

Sculpture

Marie Bortolotto is a sculptor living in Vancouver, BC Canada who works primarily in stone and wood to create contemporary sculptures based on simple organic forms found in nature. She graduated from the NSCAD University, 1996, with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree focusing on sculpture and performance art. During this time, she lived and worked in Pietrasanta, Italy, a mecca for international stone sculptors and artisans. Currently, her work explores the vessel form with its multiple uses as a functional object and a ceremonial one. Intrigued by how all life feeds on life, her hand carved vessels articulate an awareness of the responsibility of feeding beyond oneself, into the invisible realm of ancestry and memory where reverence and gratitude are evoked. Overall, her work is inspired by the underlying belief in the power of art to transform, renew and sustain our modern human lives. See website www.mariebortolotto.com

Russell Broughton

Sculpture

Russell Broughton graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY. He studied stone carving in the Vaucluse region of France. The current body of work represents the past year’s exploration of various organic and structural themes.

Russell makes his home in Vancouver with his very patient husband and two busy little dogs.

Deb Chaney

Contemporary Abstract Painting

Deb Chaney is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists, since 2007. She has been painting for over ten years both large and small layered mixed media abstract paintings on canvas and paper.

Her work is exhibited at SWITCH Boutique in Beverly Hills and Castle Estate Dealers of Kerrisdale in Vancouver. Deb was recently commissioned by RainMaker Films, Inc. and her art is held by private collectors throughout the world.

She is predominantly self-taught, she has enjoyed privilege of studying with several prominent Californian artists such as Ann Baldwin, Bob Burridge, and Adolfo Girala.

Deb is also a published writer. She is the author of The Little Inspiration Book, Ideas to Empower Women [2000. Trafford Publishing.] and a contributing author to Sand in my Bra, Funny Women Write From the Road [2002. Traveler’s Tales Publishing].

As well as maintaining her own studio practice, she teaches Illuminate the Artist Within™ workshops, and weekly abstract painting classes at Brock House Community Center in Vancouver. www.debchaney.com

Heather Craig

Painting and Drawing

Heather Craig earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. She continued her education at Simon Fraser University where she received a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Her first career was in health care, practicing as a nurse in numerous capacities in various parts of Canada and the USA. Along side the practice of art Heather is active in other fields. Currently she is working to change the way we treat people with mental illnesses by raising funds for research in depression, through speaking engagements, through writing and as an educator at the University of British Columbia in the School of Medicine. Her continuing studies, her observations about life, and her engagement with volunteer and professional work informs her artwork. Heather lives and works in Vancouver, BC. www.heathercraigsart.com

Rojia Dadashzadeh

Painting/Greeting Card

Rojia Dadashzadeh lives and works in Vancouver. She comes from a diverse creative background. She graduated with honours in fine arts from University of Waterloo. She continued her post graduate studies at Sheridan in New Media Design. She worked in Vancouver for numerous creative studios including VRX Studio, Studio B production and Coastal Jazz (Vancouver International Jazz Festival) as a graphic and web designer. She then moved to Paris where she attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School and became a chef in cuisine and pastry. She returned to Vancouver in September 2008 and has been actively involved in the art community ever since. At the moment she works at her studio in the Old Foundry Building. She also works in the Kitchen at John Bishop's restaurant and teaches art at John Oliver High School. She is studying character development through clownology at the Fantastic Space Enterprise.

www.rojia.com

Oliver Harwood

Sculpture

Oliver Harwood was born in Paksong, Laos in 1969 Oliver grew up between Laos, Thailand, South

Africa, Switzerland and Canada. Oliver took a 4 year Bachelor of Arts in

History at University of New Brunswick, then attended Nova Scotia College

of Art and Design, graduating with a BFA in 1996. At NSCAD Oliver focused

on drawing and sculpture and was accepted for his first solo exhibition by

the end of first year. In his second year Oliver received a scholarship to

study in Italy where he lived and carved in the famous region of Carrara.

Surrounded by the beauty of Tuscany, Oliver found himself working in the

vicinity of numerous international sculptors, learning much through

discussion and observation. Since art college Oliver has produced several

bodies of work for exhibitions and has complete several private and public

sculpture commissions. His work is collected in Canada and USA. Since 2004

Oliver has lived in Vancouver, BC and continues to develop his sculpture

for exhibition and public art.

www.oliverfineart.com or www.studiostone.ca

Rosa Quintana Lillo

Painting and Drawing

For the last fifteen years, Rosa Quintana Lilo has worked on mixed media paintings out of her studios in Vancouver and Agassiz and at various Residencies at Emma Lake, Saskatchewan and Mexico. Her work communicates an introspective reflection of psychology and nature. Immersing herself into the atmosphere of her surrounding environment is where she finds the catalysts needed to paint her inspired works. Her lines and textures are expressionistic conveying mood, affecting the surfaces in unpredictable ways. Her paintings incorporate mixed media acrylics, inks, waxes and glues. Her work is in collections throughout Europe, the US, Canada and Mexico. She has worked for some of Canada’s most prominent West Coast First Nations artists, Bill Reid, Robert Davidson and Susan Point. Her primary work for these artists was the production of carvings, rubber moulds and castings in various materials. She has worked for the Vancouver Film Industry as a sculptor and Props maker, as a mould maker and caster for contemporary Vancouver artists and as a sessional instructor at Emily Carr University and The Art Institute of Vancouver.

She is currently working on the production of ongoing/new bodies of work out of her studios in Vancouver and Agassiz, British Columbia.

www.rosaquintanalillo.com

Simon Muscat

Stone Carvings and Jewelry

' Yap' sterling silver and leather neck piece.

Simon Muscat at the age of 18 emigrated to Canada from Malta to pursue a career in jewelry. In my twenties attended various arts and craft schools in Ontario,exploring a range of mediums and materials . My twenties and thirties living in Toronto and supporting myself through my jewelry making. By my early forties had a wonderful opportunity to move to the west coast to Salt Spring island to start gem carving with one of north America foremost gem carvers. This allowed me to integrate gem carving to my jewelry making. Now in my mid fifties, have turned my focus to carving granite in conjunction to building . www.simonmuscat.com