Nature Reflections I

I’ve always enjoyed the colors blue and yellow together - ever since I was a child. There is some way my eye goes back and forth, back and forth between a bright blue and a bright yellow. Many people have been drawn to this particular digital painting - from my aunt who was over 90 to young children. The birds, representing nature, are part of what I think draws people into this picture. Also, this image is at the border between realism and abstraction - where I think much interesting transformation happens.

Nature Reflections I, Digital © Diane Clancy

I created this image using Studio Artist, a very unusual art program. I started with a beautiful photograph of several birds and then digitally transformed the picture. I think many people are drawn by the fact that they can see birds - but often they keep looking trying to understand what is going on.

As with much of my own creative process, I can never quite reproduce what happens by accident. I do much better when I am aligned with my muse and allow the flow to happen than when I try too hard to “make” things happen. Of course, technical skills are still crucial - but, for me, the greatest reward comes when I feel in the flow. I wish for us all to be able to live in that flow.

- Diane Clancy

Outer Flow XV

Several years ago I had my first exhibit that had room to hang about 40 pieces of my original artwork in a variety of traditional mediums. After hanging all this work, my artist friend said, “I didn’t think all your work would go together - but it does! Your work is all about color. I never realized that until I saw it all at once. I thought the differences in mediums would make it feel fragmented.”

Outer Flow XV, Digital © Diane Clancy

This experience helped me realize that the unifying theme of my artwork is color. I play with color in most of my work. I often create series with similar subject matter and different colors.

It is part of my method to explore variations in form and color - often subtle. This technique particularly interests me. The “Inner Flow” series explores small changes in form. Going from “Inner Flow” to “Outer Flow” delves into transformations of color.

About Outer Flow III, Sue O’Kieffe of Sacred Circles Mandalas said, “this image has a much more celestial feeling to it ” than the “Inner Flow” series. So, I think this name of “Outer Flow” is a winner.

~ Diane Clancy

Abstract Design X

This design is like a mandala to my mind. I like the sense of water flowing and the flames of fire in the one digital painting. This is part of my wrapping paper design series but I am not sure if it would be good for this purpose. It is very different from much of my work - except I do feel incredible motion in this painting and does evoke an emotional response in me. Actually, now that you mention it, there is also a richness of color that is in harmony with my other artwork.

Abstract Design X, Digital © Diane Clancy

That is what I want to share about in this post tonight … this being different from much of my work. Lately a friend said, “I love the whimsical and poetic quality of your work. A true inspiration!” I am very excited about a fellow artist (or anyone for that matter) seeing my work that way.

I have often spoken of color being the underlying unifying theme of my work. This quote from yesterday is making wonder if a “whimsical and poetic quality” could also be applied to my paintings of all kinds. When I think through my work, perhaps this does cross from my oil paintings to my kitty paintings to my designs.

But I have on my mind tonight … am I too spread out? Some reading today suggests that very important to specialize. To not do work that is different from what one usually does. I need to keep thinking about all this.

~ Diane Clancy