All I Want to Do is Experiement-Part One

Blooming, Acrylic on Canvas, 36 x 36 inches.
Copyright 2013 Mary Rush Gravelle

My art is really in transition. It has been for over a year. I had committed to doing a series based on my phone art. I titled it "Phone Art to Canvas". I visualized the entire show of at least eight paintings. I painted two.

Life has been taking so many twists and turns which put that project on hold, along with my art. Ever since, I have only wanted to experiment with new techniques.

Sunny Disposition, Acrylic on Canvas, 36 x 36 inches.
Copyright 2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.

Actually, the phone art to canvas paintings were experiments as well. I was experimenting to see if I could translate art that had been created digitally on my phone to art that was painted with actual paint and canvas.

The challenge was to maintain the brightness of color, to transfer the effects of light.

Blog posts on the Blooming painting can be found in the April 2013 archives. Blog posts on the process of painting Sunny Disposition can be found in the June, July, and August 2013 archives.

Then, I wanted to do some plein-air painting. So, I did two of those. Refer to my blog post about the painting Sans RV for more info on that. I did no blog post for Light-filled Day in Cottonwood, Arizona.

Light-filled Day in Cottonwood, Arizona.
6 x 6 inches, Acrylic on Cardboard.
Copyright 2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.

Sans RV, Approx. 8 x 14 inches, Acrylic on Cardboard.
Copyright 2013 Mary Rush Gravelle.

The next painting I did after these was a self-portrait.

Self-Portrait, Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches.
Copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle.

I wanted to see if I could paint a self portrait. I am not a portrait painter and I never thought of myself as particularly talented with that genre. So, I challenged myself to see if I could do it. See and read more about my self-portrait painting in the January and February archives.

More next week. Any thoughts on experimenting with art?

Mary Rush Gravelle

Until Next Week 

• Create art

• Appreciate art

• Buy art

I would love to hear your comments on this article, please leave one if you feel inspired.

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. 

Find her work and daily comments on her facebook page. Her art can be seen on her website, maryfineart.com. She can be contacted via email at: mary@maryfineart.com.

Sir Kitty

Poured Painting In Process 2

Final Painting, Title: Highways & Biways
Poured Paint Experiment
Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

These are the last of the in-process photos of my poured paint experimental project, adding more colors. The process was enjoyable; although, different than I had imagined it would be. I imagined that it would be quick and fun. Instead, it turned out I could only pour one color a day to give the colors time to dry before pouring the next color. I do like the results of the intersecting lines and overlapping colors. What do you think?

Detail after Interference Violet pour
Poured Paint Experiment
Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

Painting after Interference Violet pour
Poured Paint Experiment
Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

The Pouring Table
Poured Paint Experiment
Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

Mary Rush Gravelle working on her poured paint
experimental painting.

Until Next Week 

• Create art

• Appreciate art

• Buy art

I would love to hear your comments on this article, please leave one if you feel inspired.

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. 

Find her work and daily comments on her facebook page. Her art can be seen on her website, maryfineart.com. She can be contacted via email at: mary@maryfineart.com.

Sir Kitty, my painting buddy telling me it
is time for the next pour.
Painting in process behind him.

Top Two Popular Prints

From the Stars, Digital Media

Copyright Rush Gravelle.

I have a video for my poured paint project all ready to go. iMovie is not cooperating with me to get it published. So, onto Plan B!

Top Two Popular Prints

The top two most visited prints to my online print store are:





1. From the Stars, digital media, copyright Mary Rush Gravelle. This piece combines two photographs in varying amounts of transparencies to merge the two.



2. Order in the Chaos, digital media, copyright Mary Rush Gravelle. This image began as a photograph. I added transparent shapes and drew a border. The final touch was adding the rose.

Order in the Chaos, Digital Media

Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle.

Until Next Week 

• Create art



• Appreciate art



• Buy art



I would love to hear your comments on this article, please leave one if you feel inspired.

My goofy self with my painting in process.

Mary Rush Gravelle

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. 

Find her work and daily comments on her facebook page. Her art can be seen on her website, maryfineart.com. She can be contacted via email at: mary@maryfineart.com.

Sir Kitty, my painting buddy telling me it

is time for the next pour.

Painting in process behind him.

Poured Painting in Process

Experimental Poured Painting Project
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

I'm busy preparing a video of the complete painting process of my latest experimental painting, poured paint. It's taking longer than expected. So, for now, here are some photos of the process, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I began the process by preparing the canvas with Light Molding Paste for added texture. Then, I gessoed the canvas along with this texture to even out the tones.

I mixed a very diluted mixture of water and acrylic paint and poured it over the canvas, letting the paint spill over onto plastic on the table. This allowed me to move the paint around on the canvas without using a brush. I wanted it to be strictly a poured process.

Experimental Poured Painting Project, my "catch" palette
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

I tried blow-drying the first couple of colors so I could keep working. This did not work as the air pushed the paint around on the canvas in a way that was not natural to the process I desired. So, I poured one color per day and let it dry overnight.

Do you like the look that is achieved with this process?

Experimental Poured Painting Project, after pouring red
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

Experimental Poured Painting Project
In Process
Copyright Mary Rush Gravelle

Until Next Week 

• Create art

• Appreciate art

• Buy art

I would love to hear your comments on this article, please leave one if you feel inspired.

My goofy self with my painting in process.
Mary Rush Gravelle

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. 

Find her work and daily comments on her facebook page. Her art can be seen on her website, maryfineart.com. She can be contacted via email at: mary@maryfineart.com.

Sir Kitty, my painting buddy telling me it
is time for the next pour.
Painting in process behind him.