Happy Solstice

Dancing With Creation

Sandra Duran Wilson

The Solstice is one of the happiest times of year for me because, here in the northern hemisphere, we experience the return of the light. The days begin to get longer and soon the plants that are frozen and sleeping deep in the earth will feel a pull to stretch and rise up to the sun once again. This is similar to our creative cycles. We must return to our core to replenish the creative seed. The long nights are a good time to take stock and set new goals that will grow and flourish with the increasing light. May your solstice be joyful and peaceful.

Layers of Texture

Night Sky - Sandra Duran Wilson

This painting has loads of texture created with plaster and gel mediums. I apply them as is and when dry I use glazes to create depth. The trick is  to let each glaze layer dry before adding the next. Apply the colored glaze, wait a few minutes and then wipe most of it off. You will have  that stays in the crevices. The next layer may have a bit more color left on. Play with the layers until you get the effect you desire. You can always go back and add more plaster on top to get a lighter area. Some crackle effects and transfers complete the piece.

Happy Thanksgiving

Interconnected

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you all for your support and encouragement. Have a wonderful day filled with love, gratitude and lots of friends, loved ones and good food.

Let Go and Create

Stripes of Another Color

This little painting turned out to be one of my favorite paintings. It started as what I call my throw away piece. I always keep a couple of canvases or paper in my studio to put leftover paint or mediums onto so I don't throw them down the sink. I continue to build up colors and textures until I have a beautiful background to complete my painting. The throw away piece becomes the masterpiece. I think these pieces work out so well because I am not so invested in their preciousness. Try it and see.

A New Perspective

Lunarscape by Sandra Duran Wilson

When you layer several resist techniques you create a more sophisticated background that isn't readily identifiable as a particular technique. I am going to name all the techniques that were used and see if you can figure out where they are and what order they were in. I have used alcohol resist, soap resist, glazing, molding paste, embossing, gels, crackle, transfer, sanding and polymer mediums. Have fun.

Inspired by a Demo

This piece was inspired by a demo I did in one of my classes that I then scanned into my computer and played with the composition in Photoshop. Finally when I got to a place where it was working for me then I went to painting the final piece which has so many techniques used. There is gold leaf, stamping, alcohol, stenciling, transfer painting, water slide decals, collage and more.

Midsummer Dream, 20" x 16" mixed media on panel

Fiesta by Sandra Duran Wilson

Fiesta time is party time. I love all the bright colors of Mexico and New Mexico. Darlene and I just finished a show at El Museo de Cultural in Santa Fe, NM. We had Mariachi music and lots of fun. Keep the party going with your art. The top portion of this painting was created using a gel transfer and then highlighted with more paint. The lower portion has gels and pastes of different viscosities layers with glazes. Check out our books for more fun tips and tricks.

You are invited

Summer Time 12x48 by Sandra Duran Wilson

You are invited to the 25th Contemporary Hispanic Market in downtown Santa Fe, NM July 30-31 from 8-5 on Lincoln Ave off the historic plaza. Please stop by and visit me in booth #58 and Darlene in #48. There is also a preview and awards show Friday evening at the Convention Center on Marcy St.

Summer Time and it's Hot!

Golden Glow by Sandra Duran Wilson

I love texture that you can jump into. I created the luscious texture in the bottom portion of the painting using gels and mediums, like soft gel gloss and heavy gel matte. I don't worry about different sheens because I can unify them in the final steps. I also used heavy body paint to drag color across the peaks and glazes to get nice transparent layers. The entire painting was created on top of gold leaf. The upper portion has texture embossing and collage. Do try this at home.

All That Glows

 

All That Glows mixed media by Sandra Duran Wilson

This painting uses techniques from both of our books. The painting started with a gold gesso transfer. I sanded areas back and put on layers of glaze, then added dimension with molding paste put through a stencil.

When dry these were painted, more layer of glaze and there you go. Try it.

New Work

Starlight Times

24x6

This little gem uses many of the techniques from our new book, including Crazy Easy Transfer painting, gels and pastes, glazing and collage.

Science and Art

Time Traveler Future

Sandra Duran Wilson

This painting is my version of what a wormhole may look like as you zip through the space-time continuum. I have used glue crackle, plastic wrap, gels and mediums to get this other-worldy look. You can too. Check out the book.

Surface Treatment Workshop examples

Garden Path 10x10

Sandra Duran Wilson

This painting uses several of the techniques from our new book, Surface Treatment Workshop. The lower portion started with a transfer and then I did acrylic pours over that. The top had painted gampi tissue overlayed on top of the background painting. Some collage finished it off with a satin varnish to give it a waxy look.

She Gambled It All for Love

This 24" x 24" piece has a very large gel transfer, water slide decal, stained glass insert, vintage playing card, collage, and pearls. In addition, there are various techniques from the new book, Surface Treatment Workshop, such as crackle, alcohol and Elmer's glue.

The Book is Shipping!!!

Surface Treatment Workshop  finally is no longer a pre-order item on Amazon but actually in people's hands. Sandra and I are both thrilled about the finished product. It is really is a great for your art arsenal.

It was such a pleasure to do all those projects and really push ourselves when we did the variations.

You probably noticed that are web site is new and combines both books. We were going to do two different web sites but decided it would drive us nuts. There will be updates in the gallery sections in the next several months.

New Book-Surface Treatment Workshop

Delightful 10x10

Sandra Duran Wilson

This painting incorporates gels, mediums, stencils, glazes, glue and a few other tricks that can be found in our new book, Surface Treatment Workshop. We got our preview copies and they look amazing. The book will start shipping in April and will be in bookstores in May and June.

Free Demo

Roots 8x8

Sandra Duran Wilson

acrylic and collage with transparency transfers

I will be demonstrating transparency transfers with a free hands-on art fest, Friday March 18th from 2-5 at the Inn and Spa at Loretto in downtown Santa Fe, NM. Please stop by and make some art to take home with you. This event is open to all. Pass the word if you know anyone that may be in town.

Imagine all that can be transferred

Imagine 12x10

Sandra Duran Wilson

This painting shows many different transfer techniques: gel medium, paint transfer, gampi tissue, water slide decal and stencils and collage. Can you tell which ones are which, and on what layer? That is the beauty of transfers. They are integrated into the composition.

Dreaming on such a winter's day

After a freezing week, we have now been hit with a heat wave. Oh, Thank heavens. So now I am dreaming about planting, flowers and spring.

This piece, Datura Dreams, 24" x 24", is a mixed media delight of image transfers, stamping, skins, alcohol techniques and some wonderful maroon plaster.

Surface Treatments-Textures

Delightful 10x10

Texture is what I really love. Most of my small paintings begin life as a demonstration of a technique I am teaching. Sometimes they have many past lives and layers. This is one of them. I continued to build texture and then used stencils to add the circles. This painting incorporates many of the textures you will find in our upcoming book, Surface Treatment Workshop. You may order before it is released from Amazon, or look for it in bookstores this summer.

Combining Texture and Transfers

Quantum 2010

 

 

When the background textures are combined with transfers you get a double wow factor. The bottom portion of the painting has a glue crackle with several color layers and the center square is a water slide decal over a crackle paste. You can learn these techniques and more from our books or workshops. Workshop schedule

Turquoise Forest

Turquoise Forest 10x10

This fun little painting has several layers of different colors and techniques to create the background. Isolation layers of clear acrylic medium were used between the layers. This gives the painting depth and helps to smooth the edges of the collage pieces. These background techniques will be featured in our book, Surface Treatment Workshop.

Heat Wave

It is frigid outside in this northern hemisphere winter and I needed something to keep me warm. This painting reminds me of the winter I spent in Brazil. The underpainting was made with micaceous iron oxide mixed with polymer medium. While still wet I moved it around with an old credit card. When it was dry, I glazed over with azo yellow and pyrrole red. I scanned the coffee beans and printed onto gampi tissue and applied with a polymer medium. Coffee that heats you up. Enjoy.

Splish Splash

I have had this vintage image for the longest time and while sorting through my image collection I came across this and an image of my tree branches. The hose was a perfect line element. Having raised birds for a period in my life, I know the joy they have with water. So, Splish Splash, little birds.