Beginnings

I finished these three drawings for the exhibition in Minnesota. I was hoping to make more drawings and create an installation. May work more on them later, but they are done for now. I just need to frame them and ship them today! Beginnings 1: graphite, acrylic, watercolor, watercolor pencils, spray paint on rag paper.

Beginnings 3: graphite, watercolor, watercolor pencils, spray paint on rag paper.

Beginnings 2: graphite, watercolor, watercolor pencils, spray paint on rag paper.

I will be receiving some new metal flat files tomorrow. They are greatly needed to organize my drawings and to protect them from little creatures that sneak in from the forest.

Working Again

After weeks and months of feeling ill due to my pregnancy, I am back working again. I am so happy to be making drawings and trying some new techniques.
Emily, a friend of mine from grad school, invited me to participate in an exhibition The Other F Word at the University of Minnesota Morris. I have started work on two new drawings hoping to complete and send them to Minnesota within two weeks. These photos of the drawings are in process and very rough.

Graphite, gold spray paint, and watercolor on rag paper.

My proposal for a solo show at the Waldron Art Center was accepted! In the next few months I will be preparing for Delusions: Abbigail Knowlton Israelsen at the Flashlight Gallery of the Waldron Art Center in Bloomington, Indiana. The show opens in the beginning of May and will keep my mind off of my growing belly and keep my hands very busy.

Inspriations and work space

I have begun a new series of paintings on canvas. It is strange for me to not work on paper as I have done for many years. I want to experiment with these canvases and use them as studies for a larger piece. As you can see my work space is rather messy. I try to keep it tidy, but things keep piling up but I think the piles add information to my work somehow.

My daughter's workspace looks very similar. She also did a painting on one of the canvases. Hers is Itsy Bitsy Spider. Some inspiration for the new work is all around me. There are many geodes and fossils surrounding the stream in my forest. I have become fascinated with these rocks, they are so mysterious and ancient. My daughter and her cousin are standing next to a pile of them that we collected.

I have been thinking of ships again and the traveling that happens in my dreams and nightmares of when I was ill. This rough paint by number is hung in my studio and I reference it often.

The beautiful weaving of roots and plant life that is found in the forest floor and its ever changing nature.

Coyotes on my mind

Finished this drawing today. After a few small works, I am ready to go a bit larger.
Materials used: Graphite, Watercolor, Ink on rag paper.
Size: 9 X 12 inches

Detail: Coyote

Detail of recent drawing of Coyote.
Materials used: graphite, pen, ink, watercolor and watercolor pencil on rag paper.

Ludovic Le Couster & Sébastien Preschoux Forest Art

Now that I live in a forest, I have been brainstorming ways to incorporate my surroundings into my artwork in some way. Above is Superficial by Michel de Broin. It is a big rock enveloped in faceted mirrors.

I really love the work by Le Couster and Preschoux in the Auvers Sur Oise forest in France. Very inspiring and lovely.

Found on pablogt.com.

Untitled Drawing

This drawing is made of graphite and watercolor on rag, then cut out creating a delicate wreath shape.

Here is a detail of the drawing. I will get some photos with some decent lighting for my website, but until then these will do.