This blog is my portfolio of artwork, a journal about my process of making art...and the things that I have no words for...

*Copyright notice* All photos, writing, and artwork are mine (
© Laura J. Wellner), unless otherwise noted, please be a peach, if you'd like to use my work for a project or you just love it and must have it, message me and we'll work out the details...it's simple...JUST ASK, please.



Sunday, October 21, 2012

Playing Favorites

I'm featured in The Pulse as part of the "Playing Favorites" series. Seth Apter of the Altered Page started a project way back in June 2011 asking artists to submit answers to questions, today's featured question is:  “share a picture of a favorite piece of art that you have created and explain its meaning to you.”  For my submission, the title seems to sum it up perfectly..."I want more out of life..." which for me means the world...I feel that it is necessary for me to be doing something worthwhile, creatively, my hands are rarely idle and my mind is difficult to turn off...this drawing became one of those special ones for me, I could never part with it...every time I look at it, it surprises me.

I Want More Out of Life..., 2008
There are many drawings that I love...so it was hard to chose from them for Seth's question...
My drawings are created through a stream of consciousness activity starting with random marks on the paper and from there I go with the flow and follow now formal plan or idea...they are intuitive and natural happenings. I use a variety of pencils, hardness and softness...on occasion I will "cheat" and use a ruler if a straight line is required...and goodness knows, I can't draw a straight line to save my life...or I'll use the round cardboard inner ring of a roll of packing tape to make a circle should I think one is needed, but most of my line work comes into being freehand...

A little bit softer now...2005
Lumina #1, 2006

Lumina #2, 2007
 Like children, each one is different, but they are certainly "family"...

Samhain, 2009
Pensive Storm, 2012

Winter Nights, 2011
 Music very often gives direction to my mark making...Beethoven has been a long time influence...but I have very eclectic taste...classical, alternative rock, folk music, blue grass, electronica...old stuff, new stuff...
Joy, 2006
The heart of everything that is..., 2007

For cello, 2007

June Wind, 2007
 Very often the seasonal shifts and weather events inspire the flow, summer storms, murky spring nights after a heavy rain...
Spring Night Haze, 2006
 Some of these feel like paintings...

Evening Song, 2006

Rite of Spring, 2006

Twister, 2007

I probably have hundreds of these by now, I very often work on more than one at the same time, so there are various sketchbooks that I've got lying about with work in progress in various stages of unfinished...some are better than others, but what is important to me is the act of making them...they're a meditation... a "reset button" for me to get away from color for a little while and to make something that requires no planning. I've always loved working in pencil...it's a beautiful, versatile medium, and perfect to learn mark making and experimentation...and learning about  control...learning about freedom.



Sunday, October 14, 2012

Altered Environments, the pictures from the gallery

A blue trio.

Yup, there I am...
 It was a nice evening in Syracuse on Friday night...and especially at the Szozda Gallery...looking at the art hanging on the walls I started to joke "I'm in my 'Blue Period'!"

Not only was the art in the spot light...so were these awesome shoes that I bought for the opening! (Using funds from the last painting I sold too, so they're extra special!)
Caroline and I comparing shoes...
 
From Left to Right, Caroline's intern and my son, Nathan Wellner (I'm always proud to say I made that one too), me, fellow exhibitor and photographer, Willson Cummer, fellow artist, Steve Nyland, and my Fred (fellow artist and of course, Nathan's dad.)

Looking to the right...

Looking to the left...

Trio of paintings at the end...


Duo of paintings at the other end....

Four drawings...

There were some visitors who were mesmerized by the drawings, one couple stood  in front of the four pieces for so long, I thought maybe Caroline had them nailed to the floor...we chatted for quite a long while about physics and chaos...philosophy, meditation, and "going with the flow"...one of the things I love about my drawings are their random nature, I have no plan, no intention to do anything specific, each one evolves slowly...many of them take months to do...it made me feel good to see people enjoy them so much!

Three drawings...


I'm exhausted. It feels good to sit and do nothing today...the sun came out and I've been sitting outside soaking it up...these warm sunny days are going to be few and far between from now on, so I'll take 'em while I can!





Monday, October 08, 2012

Altered Environments

A River of Falling Stars, 10/7/2012, acrylic and monotype on Arches watercolor paper, 30 x 22
Seriously, I finished painting this one yesterday afternoon. As soon as the paint dried I had to frame it...this painting was one of those that I had started once upon a time, and then gave up on it, tucking it away thinking one day maybe...well, two weeks ago when I was invited to be in a new exhibition as Szozda I pulled it out and slathered it with my favorite near black blue, Payne's gray...the only thing left of the original painting is the moon. Everything else evolved since then...building layers on layers on layers...OMG it's sooooooo gorgeous, and floated in a frame it's stunning!

We delivered the paintings and drawings to the Szozda Gallery today, and saw the preliminary layout...it's always a different experience to see the work in the gallery than at home...

The postcard!

I came down with a cold on Thursday morning, and have finally shook off the worst of it, naturally, in time to go back to work, but of course, I had to push through to get the paintings wired and the drawings framed...in between napping and taking hot baths to feel better. I managed to finish three new paintings to include with the work in progress paintings that I already had finished before...

Where water meets sky...#2, 10/6/2012, acrylic wash, monotype, rice paper on canvas, 24 x 24 inches
Ripple, 10/7/2012, acrylic wash, monotype, rice paper on canvas, 20 x 20 inches
This was the very last painting of the day...yes, this one is named after the Grateful Dead song Ripple...you know, it's whatever is going through my head at the time...it's been a productive and fun time...I always say, if I didn't love what I do, I wouldn't be doing it. I love what I do and I feel very fortunate...

Looking forward to seeing the show up on the walls and looking forward to the reception on Friday night!