Independent and Connected Paintings: An Artistic Challenge

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Free to Flow by Deb Chaney (36” x 24”)

It’s always good to challenge oneself. And I would like to share a fun challenge I gave myself a while ago.

The exercise resulted in a series of 8 abstract paintings called Free to Flow and they are now available on Saatchi Art.

Getting things started

I received an email from Saatchi Online Gallery recently asking me to update my inventory. So I went through each one of my paintings on the website and updated information about my artwork. 

I undertook the project with the intention of bringing some new magic to my collection. And I think the magic that I experienced was seeing my artwork with fresh eyes. It truly gave me a deeper appreciation of what I’ve created.

A small series study and exploration

This was an artistic experiment I did years ago and it was done as an exercise to stretch myself creatively and challenge myself as a painter.

What I did was give myself a set of 3 parameters to push both my mind and my painting abilities. The rules for this artistic study were as follows:

First, I was going to paint a series of 8 individual paintings and each one had to stand alone on its own.

However, all 8 paintings also had to connect together.

And finally, I limited myself to a monochromatic colour palette, meaning 1 colour plus black and white.

There are 8 paintings in total and they’re collectively and individually called Free to Flow. I have combined all the paintings together for the feature image in this week’s blog post. This shows you what the full image would look like if you were to get all of them together.

My Little Gems Series

This painting series is also part of my Little Gems Series, which I use for testing new techniques and practicing old ones.

Prints and Original Artwork for Sale Online

All of the originals are available for purchase and there are now prints on the Saatchi website as usual. 

You can buy them individually or get the whole set and put them together and make one big cool painting (as seen in the featured image of this post).

You can see more paintings in the Little Gems series here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/art-collection/painting/Litte-Gems-Small-works-on-paper-and-loose-canvas/499285/160111/view

Reproduction prints on Saatchi Art are available in 3 formats:

Fine Art Paper

310 GSM, 100% cotton linters, archival quality, natural white finish with a slightly structured, soft-textured surface.

Metal

Specialized inks infused into specially coated, thin, high gloss aluminum sheets. Exhibit mounted on 2mm black Styrene and finished with a black Metal Inset Frame.

Canvas

Museum grade, matte textured (20.5 mil), bright white, poly-cotton blend with no additives and no agents.

My Interview on "Conversations Worth Having" with Adrian Starks and Michelle Falcone

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Deb Chaney painting in her studio

Deb Chaney at work in her studio

I was interviewed by Adrian Starks and Michelle Falcone back in May, for their show Conversations Worth Having. It took place on Facebook Live and a recording of the video is available on their Facebook page.

Who are Adrian Starks and Michelle Falcone?

My art is inspired by my own healing and personal journey, and both Adrian and Michelle share this passion for personal growth.

Adrian Starks is a motivational speaker, author, and personal growth trainer based in Seattle. He founded Champion Up with the goal of helping people recognize and realize their own power and courage for personal change. He focuses on managing mental health and encouraging positive growth and success and he certainly has the testimonials to back him up.

“I love seeing people simply become better and happier human beings by creating fulfilling realities from their ideas or visions.”
— Adrian Starks

Michelle Falcone is a Vancouver-based entrepreneur and certified life coach who is committed to “helping those she works with to obtain a life full of passion and peace.” She offers coaching services, speaking engagements, and programs & retreats – including an enthralling-looking small group retreat called Sailboat Coaching.   

In addition to being incredibly passionate about mental health, Michelle is an extraordinary supporter of the arts and artists. She is currently working with another artist and musician on developing a program that supports youth and their mental health. Michelle’s testimonials speak for themselves as well.

The Honour of Being a Conversation Worth Having

It’s certainly a compliment and honour to be considered the focal point of a “conversation worth having”, and I’d like to extend my thanks and appreciation to Adrian and Michelle for their time and interest.

Early in the interview, I reflect on the first series I painted 20 years ago. It consisted of 16 paintings – and a lot of red. I recalled a good friend of mine looking at the paintings and saying how angry they looked. And I look back now with my gained wisdom and realize how great it was that I could move from depression to anxiety to anger. I wasn’t conscious of it then, but I knew I was frustrated and had all this emotion, and I could turn it into creation. And that was really the beginning of art being a key component to my healing journey as well as my own transformational journey.

The main focus of the interview turns to the Drishti Paintings Series that I’m currently working on – but haven’t revealed too much about. I’ve been hunkered down in my creative cave, focused on creating these large, very layered and meaningful works of art, and that was the crux of what we discussed. We talk about the 3 concepts guiding my creation of these paintings – how they are the inspiration behind the Drishti Paintings as well as the inspiration for my own personal journey to find mental wellness.

I’ve alluded to the Drishti Series online, but the artwork will be fully revealed during Gabriola Island’s (incredible) Thanksgiving Studio Tour, which takes place on October 8-10th.

Check out the Conversations Worth Having Facebook page for past episodes and more about the program and its inspiring hosts.

Original Artwork and Prints for Sale

This section usually has links to where you can buy the original or prints of the painting mentioned in the post. But in this case, as mentioned above, the Drishti Paintings Series is still in process and won’t be revealed until the island’s studio tour in October.

However, you can browse through my collection at Saatchi Art’s online gallery. 

Saatchi Art offers multiple options to suit your personal tastes or needs. Prints can be on paper or canvas and are typically available in 4 sizes to best fit your room. You can also choose to have it framed in white, black, or natural wood.

The “View In A Room” image gives you an idea of its size and lets you see what it looks like on a wall. But take it one step further with the “View in My Room” tool that lets you see what it looks like on your wall.