T.R.A.V.E.L. In My Studio

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eiffel tower, mixed media art, nasa images, paris, paris france, parisian, the eiffel tower, time travel, time traveler, travel, traveler, traveler's gift ideas

Time Travel….

It is said that reading takes you to far away places in your mind and let’s you experience a place without moving from your chair.  I feel the same way about painting and creating.  I can choose to go to Paris, France for instance.  I can immerse myself in colors and shapes from any time and place.  Looking at this view of the Eiffel Tower “takes me there” in a way.  It is such a magnificent structure that I feel I have enhanced in my art.  This piece is a composite painting using a vintage post card and layers of other imagery.  My choice of nebula brings to mind a timelessness and connectivity of all.  I can see this place…and if I close my eyes, I can feel it too….

To learn more about this piece, click here:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-eiffel-tower-paris-france-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

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Is Digital Art Real Art?

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abstract art, abstract art for sale, abstract paintings, art, art for sale, art mediums, butterfly wings, buy abstract art, buy art, buying prints, canvas, canvas prints, christmas gifts, computer, computer art, computer generated art, computer paintings, computers, contemporary art, digital art, digital artist, mixed media, mixed media art, modern art, modern paintings, paintings, peacock feather, prints, selling prints, sharon cummings, tampa artist

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about Digital Art.  He wanted to know if I was going to be taking a mix of all my work (i.e. acrylic paintings) or more of my computer art to my upcoming show.  Throughout the chat the words were never said, but the implication was there.  The acrylic paintings were “real art” and the digital stuff…well….not so much.  I myself was resistant to computer generated artwork for years.  I did not think it belonged in the same category as paintings or drawings.  To me it looked “different” and as a traditional painter, I was having trouble with that.  I also did not understand how much hard work it was!  There is also the argument that states that you cannot get a “one of a kind” piece with digitally produced media.  This is true!  But you also cannot get a one of a kind photograph either unless you have the negative or file yourself and then you can only enjoy it as a small inverse image or on your computer.  To fully enjoy photography you must have a print made of it so you can hang it on your wall.  It is the same with digital art.

I do not create ANYTHING entirely with my computer.  I do not do fractal work.  I always start with one of my original paintings or a photograph.  I copy my own hand painted patterns from original works.  I draw designs.  Every piece I create on my computer starts with something I did with my hands away from the black box.  My mandalas start from my paintings on Yupo.  My Stone Rock’d Art starts with patterns from my Labor of Love pieces which I painted by hand.

I am sure that the charcoal and fruit ink painters were incredulous when oil painters came along.  It was something new and untested. How could something so radically different from charcoal ever become popular?  To me “real art” has nothing to do with the mediums used.  If you lock a creative person into a room without anything, they will make art from dust particles.  Art is the expression or application of creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. But is it “real art”? Is it collectible?  In the last year I have sold over 1000 prints that I produced with the aid of my computer.  Now to me that is beautiful and oh so powerful……and undeniable real!

Digital artists….rock on!

Enjoy all of my work here…both traditional and contemporary:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

Is Digital Art Real Art?

Tags

abstract art, abstract art for sale, abstract paintings, art, art for sale, art mediums, butterfly wings, buy abstract art, buy art, buying prints, canvas, canvas prints, christmas gifts, computer, computer art, computer generated art, computer paintings, computers, contemporary art, digital art, digital artist, mixed media, mixed media art, modern art, modern paintings, paintings, peacock feather, prints, selling prints, sharon cummings, tampa artist

 

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about Digital Art.  He wanted to know if I was going to be taking a mix of all my work (i.e. acrylic paintings) or more of my computer art to my upcoming show.  Throughout the chat the words were never said, but the implication was there.  The acrylic paintings were “real art” and the digital stuff…well….not so much.  I myself was resistant to computer generated artwork for years.  I did not think it belonged in the same category as paintings or drawings.  To me it looked “different” and as a traditional painter, I was having trouble with that.  I also did not understand how much hard work it was!  There is also the argument that states that you cannot get a “one of a kind” piece with digitally produced media.  This is true!  But you also cannot get a one of a kind photograph either unless you have the negative or file yourself and then you can only enjoy it as a small inverse image or on your computer.  To fully enjoy photography you must have a print made of it so you can hang it on your wall.  It is the same with digital art.  

 

I do not create ANYTHING entirely with my computer.  I do not do fractal work.  I always start with one of my original paintings or a photograph.  I copy my own hand painted patterns from original works.  I draw designs.  Every piece I create on my computer starts with something I did with my hands away from the black box.  My mandalas start from my paintings on Yupo.  My Stone Rock’d Art starts with patterns from my Labor of Love pieces which I painted by hand.  

 

I am sure that the charcoal and fruit ink painters were incredulous when oil painters came along.  It was something new and untested. How could something so radically different from charcoal ever become popular?  To me “real art” has nothing to do with the mediums used.  If you lock a creative person into a room without anything, they will make art from dust particles.  Art is the expression or application of creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. But is it “real art”? Is it collectible?  In the last year I have sold over 1000 prints that I produced with the aid of my computer.  Now to me that is beautiful and oh so powerful……and undeniable real!

Digital artists….rock on!

Enjoy all of my work here…both traditional and contemporary:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

Accidents Happen…

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abstract, aqua, art, artwork, blue, bold, canvas, clipping masks, color, colors, contemporary, creativity, dimension, dramatic, how to use clipping masks, lace, laces, layers, mixed media art, modern, mosaic, mosaics, painting, paintings, pattern, patterns, photoshop, primary, primary colors, prints, red, sharon cummings, striking, unique, using photoshop

 

Accidents happen….But sometimes they are pleasant surprises!  This piece was one such oopsie.  For those that work in Photoshop you know what a clipping mask is.  I was working in one space where I had created one and one layer accidentally went over another and I realized that parts of the bottom layer were included in the clipping mask (accidental) and this most beautiful pattern emerged….I kept moving the top layer until it covered the entire bottom….magic!  Pure magic!  Now I will have to try to replicate this “accident”.  I love creating art ….so much fun!

You can see more here:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/colorful-layers-vertical-abstract-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

 

Collaborations

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alice in wonderland, art, art collaboration, Artist, beach, bears, butterflies, butterfly, collaboration, collage, collage art, collage work, creating, creativity, mixed media, mixed media art, muse, ocean, Paint, painting, photography, photos, pretty art, sea, sharon cummings, tampa, tampa artist, Teddy bear, teddy bears, the mad hatter, women, women's issues

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/on-the-rocks-teddy-bear-art-by-william-patrick-and-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

Do any of you other artists ever collaborate?  Work on photography together?  Paintings?  Music?  I tend to be a loner when it comes to my work, but I have had some really great opportunities to work with some amazing artists from around the World on pieces of art that really challenged me but ultimately brought me great satisfaction.  

The piece above is a joint effort between me and my husband William Patrick.  We headed to the beach with his box of toys and I handled all of the choreography and staging while he snapped the shots.  I also handled the post processing.

 http://fineartamerica.com/featured/down-the-rabbit-hole-sharon-cummings.html

Down the Rabbit Hole was a very interesting project that I shared with a Canadian artist named Geraldine Gracia.  What we did was each sent each other a package filled with all sorts of bits and pieces of things we collected.  The rule was we had to use EVERYTHING in the package in a mixed media piece.  We could add to it, but we could not subtract.  It really got my imagination going and the end result was a surprise to me.  I to this day continue to sell this piece regularly…so glad it speaks to so many.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/balancing-act-sharon-cummings.html

Balancing Act was another collaboration piece.  I have done these many times with other artist and it is always fun to see what we create!