I Let My Imagination Flow Freely, and This is What Happened

Lately I've made a lot of small-ish ink and watercolor pieces featuring the nude figure and aspects of nature. Of course, these pieces are all along the theme I have been involved in for the past few years. But there are a few things that make them different:

1. They are on the small side of my art as of late.

This puts less pressure on each piece, and less pressure means more freedom for creativity.

2. They are created more intuitively.

For my larger drawings and paper-cuts, I spend plenty of time brain-storming, inspiration-gathering, and sketching before starting a final piece. With these quicker pieces, that means I don't have a clear idea or expectation of what the final piece will look like.

The intuitive, and more creative approach leads to more ideas for future pieces, large and small.

Creativity runs free when we free ourselves of fears and let our imaginations roam. A little spark can eventually snowball into a larger idea, or even a whole new theme or direction for my work. I see these pieces as exploring new ideas.

3. They are in a different style and medium than I've been working in.

Watercolor is a medium that lends itself to unexpected and uncontrolled moments. That lack of complete control allows me to be looser and more free to play. And the results can be surprisingly great.

While I enjoy great detail, I also enjoy the style of looser works, where very few marks can say so much.  I often enjoy my sketchbook drawings as much if not more than my larger, more 'finished' pieces, so these watercolors allow me to work in my multiple styles.

4. They are created in much less time than most of my work, which is the main reason why they are so much more affordable.

As an artist of humble means myself, I completely understand the conundrum of loving an artist's work, but being unable to afford any of it. But sometimes those artists offer pieces that are more affordable, whether they are prints, or just smaller, quicker pieces. I super appreciate these options because without them, someone like me might never afford art by such awesome artists.

I've definitely heard over the years how people appreciate my art, but can't afford it. So I always try to price my all work for as little as possible, but while also trying to actually make a living.   And I also make art sometimes that is just able to be priced much lower.

I love working for hours and hours on a detailed paper cut, drawing, or painting. But I also sometimes love the freedom and expression of creating quicker, looser works as well. And those pieces that take so much less time, are also able to be priced so much lower. I'm happy to be able to say I have works that people from almost all incomes can take home.

5.  They keep me making art and coming up with new ideas in between the big ideas.

As a full-time artist, I spend a lot of hours per week making new art.  It's not always easy to constantly have the next idea for the next piece of art.  Working on these pieces allow me to create art when I don't have the next large piece figured out yet, and help to stir up new concepts for the next big piece.

I hope you enjoy these pieces close to as much as I have enjoyed creating them.  And I believe there will be more to come...

"Sprout" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. [SOLD]

"Sprout II" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014.  $63 framed.

"Sprout" III 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. [SOLD]

"Rooted" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014.  [SOLD]

"Rooted II" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. $63 framed.

"Braided Branches" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. $66 framed.

"Branching Out" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014.  $63 framed.

"Branching Up" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. $66 framed.

"Encircled" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014.  $66 framed.

"Earth and Sky" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. $63 framed.

"Field Within" 8"x10", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. $58 framed.

"Natural" 11"x14", ink and watercolor, by Heather Clements, 2014. $66 framed.

*Note:  Some of the above images are zoomed in a little, only cropping out negative space (the white of the paper.)  If you're interested in prices of these pieces unframed, feel free to contact me and ask.  Some of these pieces have sold, some are currently for sale at CityArts Cooperative, and some have been made so recently they are still in my art studio.

Green Tip #26:  Donate stuff you don't want.  This is a pretty easy one, but it's one so many people are guilty of not doing.  I can't tell you how much of the furniture and useful things in our house came from the side of the road or an alley put out for trash.  Perfectly good items like 4 like-new matching beach chairs, hand-made small table, beach umbrellas, rain umbrellas, wood crates we transformed into book shelves, perfectly good clothes, and bicycles (that usually need a bit of work and a few parts.)  That's just to name a few off the top of my head.  While it's great we've gotten so much for free, think of all the stuff that doesn't get discovered, and ends up in a landfill.  Perfectly good, useful things, polluting our planet.  That's just too wasteful.  So the next time you are getting rid of stuff you don't want anymore, just make a pile for donations, and drop some off at a Goodwill, Catholic Charities, or other thrift shop.  You can feel good that you are not only helping those who can't afford to buy brand-new, but also the health of your planet.


As always, I thank you so much for your time here on my blog.

-Heather