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| There is an actual tea called ''Constant Comment'. Lol very fitting for this post. |
''Comments''
The option to comment on my posts is now enabled. I think that I have it set up to where anyone can comment. If anyone chooses to comment, all that I ask is to please be civil and refrain from posting any links. I have pretty much limited comments on all of my social pages, given the high volume of apparent spam accounts that are active but hopefully I won't have to do that on here.
Who is first known to have depicted the sunflower in art?
Art History, to me, is about delving beneath the surface of what has been popularized and going deeper into origin, truth and evidence. Raw truth and raw beauty - that is art. This is the most interesting facet of painting any given subject; understanding its origin. For me, knowing what I am painting - the history and or significance, is important. As it relates to Sunflowers, I have always liked them but was not aware of their history or who they were first used and depicted by.
Earlier while having coffee, I started thinking of Sunflowers. Being one of my favorite flowers, next to tulips and roses and pretty much every flower, I was curious of its actual history and of when the sunflower was first known to have been depicted in art and by who. Upon briefly delving into the documented history of Sunflowers, I have found some very interesting things.
The sunflower is native to both North America and Mexico. Native Americans were the first to depict sunflowers in art, using them as sources of pigment but also as a subject in their own art. Per Marion Barnes of Clemson University: ''Native Americans cultivated and used sunflowers for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting their cultivation began around 3,000 B.C. in present-day New Mexico and Arizona.''
Per The National Sunflower Association: ''The Sunflower is native to North America and was first domesticated by the American Indian into a single headed plant with great variety. The article goes on to read: ''Sunflower was a common crop among American Indian tribes throughout North America. Evidence suggests that the plant was cultivated by American Indians in present-day Arizona and New Mexico about 3000 BC. Some archaeologists suggest that sunflower may have been domesticated before corn.''
I browsed a few other places and stumbled across a blog post written by Margot Kravette, an explorer and photographer. In her ''Inspired Journeys'' blog, she writes: ''Sunflowers held significant symbolic meaning for many Native American tribes. They were often associated with the sun, harvest, and abundance.'' She also states ''Native Americans saw sunflowers as a symbol of courage. Warriors would carry sunflower cakes to battle with them or a hunter would sprinkle sunflower powder on his clothing to keep his spirit up.''
It is incredible that one flower holds so much meaning, history and significance. I am grateful to have a much clearer idea of the Sunflower's origin, while appreciating that it is rooted in significance not only in art but as a resource for early Native American tribes, including traditional medicine. There is certainly more information surrounding this topic but it would take ages to red through everything out there in its entirety.
Sources:
https://inspiredjourneys.live/journeys/sunflowers-reaching-for-the-sun
https://phys.org/news/2008-05-roots-sunflower-cultivation.html
Review: Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic and Grumbacher Academy Acrylic
I am finicky when it concerns paint. Having experimented with a wide variety of brands and mediums, I've realized how different any given selection is from another. I regularly use Liquitex as my main brand of paint for staple colors like red, black and white. Their selection of professional heavy body acrylics are perfect and reliable. Recently, I purchased a tube of Liquitex PHBA in Naphthol Crimson but noticed that my tube of Liquiex PHBA Titanium White was pretty much empty. After ordering a new tube online, I began searching through art materials and realized that I had two unused tubes of Grumbacher Academy Acrylics in Titanium White and Cadmium Red. In this review, I'll be comparing both brands.
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| 138 ml Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic (left) 75 ml Grumbacher Academy Acrylic (right) |
Price
For a 75ml tube of Grumbacher Academy Acrylic Titanium White and or Cadmium Red, the price is between $5 and $9 each or higher, depending on where you buy it, tax and shipping & handling if purchased online. I bought both of these colors for about $14 in-store. For a 138 ml tube of Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Titanium White and or Naphthol Crimson, the price is anywhere from $14 - $20 or higher depending on where you buy it, tax and shipping & handling if purchased online. I purchased both of these colors together online for $40.00.
Test
I am already very familiar with Liquitex and understand its quality but before actually using this new Grumbacher paint within any of my paintings, I wanted to do a test beforehand. If I dislike the results in the ''test'', I'll be donating the Grumbacher to charity, as I often do with all art materials that I don't use. In the photo below, I have taken a 5x7 rectangle of glass from a picture frame and labeled the left side ''Grumbacher'' and the right side ''Liquitex''. I then applied a dollop of paint from each tube and made a few brushstrokes. The first three photos show the paint while wet, before it dried. The bottom photo shows the paint two hours later.
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| The tiny dots of white that can be seen on the surface are tiny specks of white paint.* |
After two hours, the Grumbacher Academy Acrylic is still wet and malleable, while the Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic is firm and dry to the touch. Each appears to retain brustrokes but the Grumbacher's peaks are, to me, not as defined as Liquitex. This is due to it having not dried completely but also because it is a medium body acrylic, not a heavy body acrylic. As a painter who often layers paint, a fast drying time is crucial. That being said, I do feel that had I not applied so much paint, both samples would likely have dried in a similar amount of time, give or take 30 minutes. The more depth, the longer it will take for paint to completely dry. On the other hand, If I were working with palette knives, which would require me to use heftier amounts of paint, based on this ''test'', I would definitely have to wait hours for the painting to be completely dry if I opted to use Grumbacher as opposed to Liquitex, which is really something to consider.
Conclusion
GRUMBACHER ACADEMY ACRYLIC
Grumbacher is ''a collegiate grade, medium bodied acrylic paint'', per their website.This paint is very smooth and very easy to spread. In their own words ''colors go on like silk'' and that certainly rings true. Grumbacher Academy Acrylics also dry to a semi-gloss finish. This highly pigmented paint is also very rich and available in a brilliant array of shades. Drying time for this paint seems to vary and based on my experience can be in excess of 3+ hours. Despite this centuries long waiting time, Grumbacher Academy Acrylics have an ASTM lightfast rating of 1, which is the highest rating, meaning that this paint is highly resistant to fading, when exposed to light. Maybe it's worth the 3+ wait. Despite the ASTM rating, It has been mentioned that this paint can fade over time but as is often the case, this likely depends on how an artwork is displayed. Even if any given paint is highly resistant to fading, that should not be taken as an invitation to display it improperly or in direct sunlight. Regarding texture, this medium body paint can hold both brushstroke and texture well but not as well as Liquitex. So, all in all I give this paint a 9 out of 10.
LIQUITEX PROFESSIONAL HEAVY BODY ACRYLIC
As Liquitex's thickest acrylic paint, their Professional Heavy Body Acrylic makes a deep impression; holding superb, well defined brushstrokes and texture effortlessly, with an impressive drying time. Per their site '' The entire {Heavy Body Acrylic} range is flexible, durable, non-yellowing, UV-resistant, water-resistant when dry, and ready for you to discover.'' With that being said, Liquitex is like the Dior of acrylic paint; It carries a hefty price tag. Given its higher quality, this is understandable. Concerning paint, cheaper is not better. The cheaper the paint, the more issues down the road relating to longevity. Liquitex paints have an ASTM rating of I or II and are considered to be permanent and lightfast for 50-100 years in gallery conditions, which is amazing. This has been my favorite brand since I tried it out a couple of years ago. With its satin finish, archival quality and thick butter consistency of highly pigmented colors, I give this paint a 10 out of 10.
As a painter, I have my own preferences moulded from experience and taste. Since switching from matte soft-body acrylics to heavy-body acrylics some years ago, I quickly became partial to the latter after only a few brushstrokes. The difference is night and day and with so many brands out there, it's crucial to experiment to see what works and suits one's tastes. In conclusion, both paints are solid brands, each with their own strengths and amazing color selections. A person's view of any given paint rests solely in their own personal preferences.
Also, I was not paid or sponsored or anything like that to write this review. I wrote this review and created the ''test'' above because I'm a nerd.
'Post Modern' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| A red tea kettle sits on a stovertop burner, boiling water for a proper brew. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/post-modern-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-5x7-framed |
'Renaissance' by Cierra G. Rowe
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Fresh coffee is brewed gradually, drip by drip, from a simple, white coffeemaker, sitting on a countertop, against a scarlet wall. |
'Space Heater' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| A space heater hovers in space, above Earth, near stars and atmospheric darkness. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/space-heater-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-5x7-framed |
'Outsiders' by Cierra G. Rowe
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A sunset lingers behind a single wooden chair, slowly consumed by tall grass. |
Tea, coffee and ornate frames
As an artist, it's nice...well, actually it's customary for me to get to know whatever I am painting before or during completion. In this case, it was a coffee maker and a tea kettle. Simple appliances but each are significant to me, given that tea and coffee are both very comforting. What is more interesting is how the tea kettle and coffee maker have changed over the years; morphing into modern staples of the day to day, with sleeker or more elaborate designs. Like many appliances, the first coffee maker appears drastically different than its modern day counterparts. The first coffee maker is said to have been invented in 1873 and then later, the first electric drip coffee maker was patented in 1954. On the other hand, the tea kettle's appearance and functionality has remained much the same since it's estimated 3000 BC creation. What hasn't changed about either is what they both hold; warmth. This winter was quite ferocious. It was very cold and I wondered through chattering teeth if spring would ever rear its head. Maybe this is why I felt so compelled to paint a coffee maker and a tea kettle, afterall even with spring now in full swing, it is still very chilly. I sketched out a quick coffee maker and tea kettle, then prepared my canvas. I had two frames, each quite ornate and rather fancy-looking. and I wanted to put them to good use and afterwards, I feel that was accomplished. I can barely look at either painting without wanting a strong black cup of coffee or a sunny warm mug of tea. These are still drying, so I can't scan them yet. They should each be properly dry in about an hour or two. www.artofcierra.com (objects and appliances.
Why I rarely accept commissions.
''Why don't you open for commissions?''
I was asked this question yesterday. It's a simple question but I kindof laughed because people who aren't artists don't really understand the sort of characters that one must wade through, when one publically opens commissions.
Most people like the idea of commissioning someone, not actually committing to it. In short, they're not serious.That's fine but if you're not serious about something, then you shouldn't be contacting actual serious people in the first place and wasting their time.
At one point, years and years ago, I actually did accept every commission that came my way. Over time I realized that I wasn't comfortable with doing that anymore and I stopped. Since then, each time that I open commissions, people contact me from different places, with different things in mind for me to paint. Rarely do I agree.
Regarding commissions; I have never been one to shy away from showing gratitude. I am very grateful to anyone who even remotely respects what I do or would like to own a work of art from me. I don't expect it but it's nice when it happens.
Despite this gratitude, I do have a say in what I paint and for whom, so I don't always agree to accept a commission when people contact me. Infact, I actually temporarily stopped accepting commissions, since a rather unpleasant experience in '24. Afterwards, I was just sort of over the whole idea of the commission thing and very put off understandably because I thought that I was being careful and covering all of my bases through clear communication. Given this, I thought that the process would be smooth. I was wrong.
While in the process of completing a separate commission from a fantastic person in Manhattan, I received an email from a guy who was/is part of a band from the northeast. (I am being vague because I don't feel it necessary to name them or give hints as to who they are, where their band is from or any details that will give away their identity. There's no need for that.) Anyways, he contacted me to paint an album cover for them. They seemed alright and I was cool with them. Despite this, I still wanted to be sure that I was specific and direct in how I communicated with them. I asked them specifically what they wanted me to paint and through back and forth, they told me. I still needed to be sure that they were sure because I did not want to deal with anyone changing their mind after I had begun painting. Everything was good at first and they wanted me to ''run'' with this painting.
Alright, great. I made some fresh coffee, got the notepad out, started taking down ideas, viewing reference photos for a harmonic aesthetic, figuring out what works and what doesn't, emailing the band and waiting for their replies to ensure that I understood and could properly meet their deadline. I was feeling good and was glad to be a part of what I thought was going to be something simple and enjoyable. The scene was set and finally, I began painting.
Everyone who has ever painted, knows that once you begin painting and those paint layers dry, the only way to remove said layers is to scrape them away, which in the process essentially destroys the painting as a whole and ruins all of the work and all of the thought put in thus far. So in other words you'd have to completely start over.
I work with heavy body acrylic paint. Heavy body acrylic paint is not cheap and I am not a fan of wasting. Even if it was, what justifies what happened next?
Days later, when I had completed a fair amount of the painting, the band then began changing their minds and sending me a photo of an artwork completed by someone else that was actually used by another musician, expecting me to use that as a reference - which was completely out of the question. It was at this point that I understood that I had made a mistake in agreeing to this commission. I was kicking myself because this is the exact situation that I try to avoid, when it concerns commissions. This is the exact thing that puts me off of commissions completely; people like this.
I was put off. I knew that if they changed their minds once, they would do it again and again and again because that is what people like this do - they waste your time. As long as you allow them to, they will waste your time and make you wish that you had never replied to their email. I decided that the best thing to do would be to go ahead and nip things in the bud, so that they knew exactly where I stood.
Rather than adapt the modern way of beating around the bush in communication, I opted for not holding back and I told them exactly what I thought. Afterwards, their response indicated to me that they did not like what I had to say. Thank goodness. In turn I was so, so grateful to cease contact and not have my name connected to them. Thank goodness for small blessings.
No amount of money is worth the hassle and frustration of dealing with people who do not communicate clearly, cannot make up their mind and do not know what they want. So when people say ''I have something that I want you to paint for me'' or ''are you open for commissions?'' it is experiences like the one that I shared above that linger in mind and make me hesitant. This is why I rarely accept commissions.
The below screenshots back up everything that I mentioned in this post. I have censored the band's name, email address, email profile image (which is a photo of their band) along with my own and details inside of the email that give away who they are. We all know how the internet works, so I'm pretty sure that my reasons for doing this are self explanatory and mature.
Animal Portrait Study, Eastern Lowland Gorilla
Portrait Study of the Eastern Lowland Gorilla.
Quick sketch. Pencil only. This took maybe 20 minutes.
Researching this animal and its habitat, I can already tell, is going to make me smile. But outside of that, from what I already know, this subspecies is endangered due to loss of their habitat. This is disturbing and deeply heartbreaking on every level. How many animals out there are endangered? And endangered for what? What justifies this?
In the past people have asked me if I use projectors or the like, for portraiture. No. I think that with the unfortunate embrace of artificiality, and rise of using machines or computers to create things that attempt to mimic true art, people assume that everyone adopts the lazy route for creating. Those kinds of modern machines are pointless, from an artistic point of view. Art (painting) should be an individual expression from human hand to medium to surface. A raw process of messing up, correction and satisfaction from working with my medium. Therein lies a kind of freedom there. And what is more free than an animal (or plant for that matter) in its safe haven; its natural habitat? It's incredible. From an artistic standpoint. a raw expression means more. Focus is important and sincerity through palette is important, to me but the imperfections add to the beauty of the portrait. I don't mean inability to correct mistakes, or silly embellishments, I mean perspective and style. When sketching or painting subjects, I do so based on raw reference and from an emotional point of view. Animals should be captured in a dignified way - a way that does not scream human possession, human projection or silly pop culture / halfhearted political trends forced onto their faces but respect for the animal itself and the great animal kingdom. I want to capture an animal, plant, something in my own way, with my medium — how I feel compelled to. That is the only way that it is meaningful to me.
This is my opinion. I *think* that people are still allowed to have opinions (?) but who knows these days. It's exhausting to be fair. If it's not everyone copy/pasting everyone else for temporary validation, being afraid to have their own ideas so they snatch up the ideas of others, then it's others attacking passionate people for daring to have their own opinion (that doesn't harm anyone else). I can only speak from my own experience and personal beliefs as an artist and relationship with art and nature. My opinion doesn't have to matter to anyone but it matters to me and as an artist being able to say ''i am passionate about what I do and i amm not changing it for anyone, including you'' is important. That, I would say, is actually a strength in this modern and digital age of ... whatever this is.
'The Constant' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| Blue eyed grass blooms sit in their planter, surrounded and tickled by blades of grass. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/the-constant-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-8x8-framed |
'Before the Lilies Come' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| A pot of planted lilies slowly wake up to spring. Their leaves, a prelude to their seasonal debut. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/before-the-lilies-come-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-8x10-framed |
'Stars Above' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| Painted Daisies rise out of their planter, under a night sky full of stars. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/stars-above-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-8x8-framed |
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