Category: acrylics

New Abstract Work

My New Abstract Work

This year I’ve been trying my hand at some new abstract work. Here are all of my new abstract works. While my painting has had abstract elements since always… I’ve rarely  painted, purely abstract works. I’m really enjoying doing so at this time, And plan to pursue abstract  painting for a while period.

This one is called “accidental bridge”. I forget the size, but I’ll put it in later. It’s quite large. I think it’s 30 inches high. I use the combination of modeling compound, acrylic, paint, as well as inks and collage. There’s a layer of tinfoil on top of the canvas that has an interesting texture that I kind of like.

This one is quite large, 40“ x 30“. I call it unknown origin which seems kind of mysterious and I like it. This is also acrylic with acrylic, inks and other Mark materials. As well as collage,

The title of this one is “untitled”, it’s a small 12 x 12 on Birch board panel.

This one is called “fishing a teacup”. It is acrylic, Mark making material. I can’t remember if I used collage but I don’t think so. I believe this one is 24 x 24. Quite abstract.

These are my new abstract works for 2023. I’m fairly happy with them and making  progress in my quest to create abstract paintings. Hope you like them. Oh

Another Fork In The Road

I have loved the last 10 years being an artist in co-ops. The time I’ve spent with other talented people working on the same goal has been enjoyable and fulfilling, and sometimes frustrating. But everything has its season and it’s time for me to move on to something else. I’m not gonna stop creating glass work, but I am going to stop production work… Which is basically creating the things that sell the best over and over again. I will create what I want to create when I want to. I will be working on my GlassOrchids.Art website to add my products for sale since they won’t be available in the co-ops next year.

What I plan on doing with this newfound time is semi retiring, at least, as much as a Type A personality can retire… I plan to focus most of my time on painting. I’m working on creating a new space for my painting studio. In addition, I’ll be spending time doing some things that I love like gardening, making cheese and wine, baking bread, preserving food, and in general, organizing my house, and going through my belongings, in a sort of a Swedish death cleaning mode.  Basically getting rid of all the things we’ve collected over the years so that my child will not have to do so once I am no longer here. We own too many things and it’s heavy.

Not that I’m planning on going anywhere anytime soon but tomorrow is not guaranteed. This lack of a guarantee is why I’m retiring now and focusing on the things that bring me joy. Life is too short to put all things off till tomorrow…. If I don’t do them now than when will I?

Here are some pictures of my new painting studio as it’s progressing. It’s in the old milking shed attached to our barn, and attached to my glass studio, which is in the barn. It was a gallery for my work for a few years and then it was a storage space all of my display stuff for the cooperatives, so it’s been sitting there, full of crap being unused for the most part for a number of years. It’s a big job getting it ready and cleaning it out.  I think it’s almost ready. Now I just have to move all the things from my painting area upstairs in the house outside across the yard and into the News painting studio. That’s a big job onto itself, and when I hope to get done within the next month or so. Keep following my page to see is a progress along my journey.

 

Garden of Dreams – Acrylic painting by Nancy Tang

Garden of Dreams is one of my newest pieces. If you’ve seen some of my glass paintings, I was attempting to emulate that process, but with paint. I think it was fairly successful. I strive to make every small square of space ‘work’ by itself, while also having the entire piece ‘work’ as one whole. I like colors to really sing next to each other.  I’ve used a gallery wrapped canvas and painted the edges as well,I’m really liking gallery wraps.

I build up layer after layer until I think the piece is done, so the final product might not look anything like when I started. It’s always an journey of discovery. This piece is currently hanging in 11 Central, a lovely restaurant in Bangor, ME.

 

Garden of Dreams, 2023

 

Verona Rising – Acrylic painting on canvas – Maine

Verona Rising – Acrylic painting on canvas – Maine

The painting is acrylic on canvas and was painted in Maine.  A few weeks ago I went out fishing with my husband out of Bucksport, Maine. We went very early and the sunrise was beautiful. I took some photos, and am using one of these to create this painting entitled “Verona Rising”. We were off Verona Island, Maine,  at the time. It’s not quite finished but this is the process and progress so far.

 

 

 

 

Habitat for Humanity Door Auction

Habitat for Humanity Door Auction

This spring I participated in a fundraiser for our local Habitat for Humanity through the Bangor Restore. In this fundraiser, local artists select a door from the Restore and turn it into a piece of art. These doors are then raffled off to raise  money for the organization.

In painting this door I became obsessed with painting Koi ponds and have created a number of pieces in glass with this same theme.

My door is ready and installed at Mason’s brewery in Brewer,  Maine. For just $5 you can buy a raffle ticket, support this great organization, and possibly win this great piece!

Dave Shove and Tina Fife sponsored this door, transformed by artist Nancy Tang. It’s on display for you to see at Mason’s Brewing Company until July 11. Buy chances to win it for $5 each and see all the doors at www.habitatdoors.org.

koi pond door
Habitat for Humanity painted door
Rejection

Rejection

So as an artist we have to harden ourselves to rejection. Rejection from galleries, from shows, from harsh words given by strangers.. it’s just a part of the world we choose to live in. Here’s the thing – every great artist suffered rejection from someone or some group.  The fauvists, which literally  means Wild Beasts, were rejected by the established artists.  Only yesterday my painting was rejected from a gallery in which I show my glass art and jewelry. It’s a cooperative gallery so normally one would think they would embrace new work by a member. But one would be wrong.

I was also rejected by another coop gallery today. They were very nice but felt my work was too similar to the work of another member. Here’s the thing – be nice, be graceful because you never know when there will be another opportunity there.

Was I angry? Was I hurt? Was I disappointed? Oh sure. We all have egos which bruise easily. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years so I’m no stranger to rejection. The thing to remember is rejection is just the opinion of others and sometimes that opinion has absolutely nothing to do with you.  They have too many painters, potters, jewelers.. w/e… they are predisposed to realism and  don’t like abstract art….there can be a million reasons you don’t get ‘in’ that have nothing to do with your work or yourself.  The important thing is to have faith in your own work because somewhere out there you have an audience that will love what you create. Do not give up. Do not listen to the nay sayers. Try to find the lesson in the rejection; maybe you  need better frames (although that’s a pretty shitty reason to reject the actual art), maybe you need to refine something.. w/e try to learn something. Create and carry on.  You will find your way. I know I will not give up painting and I will not give up trying to get it shown. Somewhere someone will love it. The more you get rejected the more you’ve tried! Keep trying!! Eventually you will find your home!

So stay strong people! Have faith in your own creations! I believe in you!

~Nan

Meadow Brook

Meadow Brook

I thought you might like to see the newest painting as I’m working on it. It may ultimately look almost nothing like this but I document the process along the way. This is a painting of the flooded and frozen Meadow Brook which borders my property. I was intrigued by the different colors created by the melting, refreezing & snowfall on the frozen brook. I’ll post the final version when completed.

And I think it’s finished; I have to let it sit a few days and mull it over.

Goose River

Goose River

Goose River on a misty morning, Swanville, Maine. I love this spot along Swanville Road and pass it often. This particular spring morning the fog was thick and beautiful. I’ve tried to capture the feeling of gazing into the thick fog where everything is vague and all of a color.

Here are some images along the journey of this painting: