Remembering 9-11

One September Morning

11x15 acrylic

I did an acrylic demonstration for an art group shortly after 9-11. The substrate is watercolor paper. the yellow orange glow was to be the underpainting for the next layer of color. That glow behind the statue is how I imagined the sky must have looked , if for a brief moment, that September morning. I rejected the planned application of the next color.

Watercolor Study

The Nightwalker

4x13 watercolor

A ten minute painting/ exercise to "loosen us up" before classes.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

This year was my first time teaching for Art Unraveled, what a great experience. I taught Encaustic Foil Collage and everyone produced beautiful pieces of art. Linda Young puts on a very well organized retreat, with a variety of great teachers and classes. I was lucky enough to take two classes from two great teachers. I layered in luxury with DJ Pettit and played hot wheels with Michael De Meng. Fun! Fun! Fun! Of course, I went straight to the studio to create more of the same, well, sort of the same... I made a crushed beer can shrine a la De Meng, honoring my brother David Rivero, the song writer, and singing cowboy, and a fabric book, using neckties from my best friend Phil Koliski, my dance partner who left us five years ago, and is now dancing "salsa" in heaven.

Encaustic

The Afterglow

4x6 encaustic painting

hot colored wax on paper

more on www.corycelaya.com and www.amstamps.com

The Entry Point

Been busy trying to get this blog together, (thank you lynn for your help) Lynn Henry, talked me into it, so I get to blame her for my goof-ups. Check out her blog http://artrocks-jlh.blogspot.com she made some wonderful 3x5 encaustic foil collages in my class at Art Unraveled. Way to go, Lynn.

You are all invited to take a peek at my website www.corycelaya.com .

This 22x30 mixed media painting titled "Color Crossover" was a demonstration piece done for a group in San Diego CA. The piece was done in yellow and red. I hated those colors, by the time I finished the demo, I was running a fever that lasted a couple of hours. The painting went into the incubation bin for about a year, at which time, I retrived it, turned it upside down, and began applying new layers of cool colors. That "new" painting won me several awards. Today, I'm OK painting in hot colors. This painting is available for purchase.

An expression of gratitude

If you always do what you always did,

you will always get what you always got.

I don't know who coined the phrase, but I know they were talking to me.

I am a mixed media artist/instructor with some long waited thank you's to pass out.

Bill Arendt, my life drawing teacher, who paints as fine as the old master Peter Paul Rubens.

Lily Ham, who taught me that there is more to creating art than technique.

Virginia Cobb, for showing me how to freely paint from within.

Gerald Brommer, who taught me how to paint my first collage.

Jack Richeson, www.richesonart.com who gave me my first "good" brush, and who has been supportive ever since.

Also, my maternal grandmother who is responsible for my love of fibers. My father who wrote and played music without ever having had a lesson. And, my mother who could create anything from nothing.

This painting is an 18x24 watercolor, titled "Garden Rescue." Available for purchase.