Reflecting on Past Artwork that meant something to me

My last blog was about my most recent artwork dealing with acrylic paint; mainly because I only paint in acrylic paint these days. It is a paint of choice because my experiences with oil paint was a bit tragic and hard to clean up. I have had my share of messy hands, messy clothes and messy rags when it came to painting with acrylic as well but not as severe as painting with other mediums.

Today, I want to talk about a painting or two that I have done in the past. The first painting that I want to talk about is one painting I did last year for my best friend that happens to be female. Never live in the notion that a male and a female couldn’t be just friends because that means that you are closed minded but that is just an opinion of an open minded individual ala me! The base color of
this paintings is lavender. This happens to be one of her favorite colors which she let me know. The color red represents the heat of the body as she is a living person and a living spirit.

(Soulful Butterfly, 2010, 11×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

The butterflies in the painting which are four in number has a very deep meaning. She flies through life and through everything that she encounters whether good or bad to still know who she is. Her nickname in this life is “butterfly” which means that she use to be a cocoon before becoming a
very soulful butterfly. This painting, in turn, is called “Soulful Butterfly.”

This painting is painted in a acrylic paint and sprayed with an acrylic sealer with the size of 11×14.” Most of my paintings that I do, showcase a butterfly or two as she has inspired me to be the best visual artist and person that I can be.

(The Protector, 2010, 16×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

The next painting I will talk about is called “The Protector!” This painting was done for my cousin who
acted like a big sister when I grew up. This painting is for her and her two children. As a loving person, she has looked out for me like a little brother even since I lived in New Jersey which was a very long time ago. I use to joke about how she was becoming “mother-like” as I was beginning to be a teenager. Not so long after that statement; a child was in her belly. So, I decided to incorporate her children as themselves and her as an eagle.

I also had the base color for this painting to be lavender as she too loves this color. The kids are presented life-like as the eagle is multi-color abstract coloring brooding with gold, tan, gold and black. The painting is bigger than 11×14″ as it is 16×20″ and it was shipped to New Jersey with a letter telling what the painting was all about. Remember this as I will do that for every painting that I ship out to each future owner! She loved the painting and I also did “The Protector Part Two!”

(The Protector Part Two, 2010, 11×14 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

The Wilderness Part Two (painting process)

This painting was a process as it took longer than I have taken on most of my paintings. In my
own head, this painting was to be done sometime next year but those plans changed when I was
looking through my paintings and saw a painting that I never really liked that I did. In the past, I
have painted over a couple of paintings with success but the skills that I have taught myself
through such a process has made me approach the re-painting or paint over process a bit
differently.

The painting that I painted was pretty much an abstract abstract. Thank God that is not a double
negative but in my eyes; it was a double negative. It was plain to see on my painting called “Birds
Unite” that it was spirits of birds uniting and that was not really anything I planned to do. It was a
time when I was painting at least 3 paintings a week and just did the painting without planning
anything out.

(Birds Unite, 2010, 16×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

This painting is the companion piece for “The Wilderness Part One.” Art is done and it comes
from the heart. “The Wilderness Part One” was the first painting that I planned out on how I
would paint certain paintings. I was unsure that it would work as I paint at the drop of a dime at
times. The details of the painting took time to do as I mostly use the color black do do that
effect on my past paintings. I have reached responses about this painting many times and it
has been one of my most cherished paintings.

(The Wilderness Part One, 2010, 16×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

“The Wilderness Part One” took one week to complete but “The Wilderness Part Two” took more
time than that. I neglect to say how long it took for me to finish this painting because that does not
matter. The process it took to complete the painting matters more. The background of this painting
is green and it was painted forest green two times over. This was done to cover up the painting from
before. It is also the base color in the abstract world of the forest. The giant leaves on the painting are
there to show a close up version of what the forest basically entails.

(The Wilderness Part Two~first phase, 2011, 16×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

The tiger that has a base color in orange with white and black details is to show the animal nature of
those who roam in the forest as a way of life. This tiger is there to show you his courage and his
dangerous persona. The roses, dandilions and violets are there to show that nature is beautiful as God
has shown unbelievable beauty in things that are created. The falling of the leaves is an ode to the
companion pieces I did before called “The End of Fall Part One” and “The End of Fall Part Two” as they
showcased the fall weather as well as the change in nature. The butterflies and caterpillars are
showcased as it is a constant tribute to my best friend who is a “Soulful Butterfly.” That is a play on
words and on a painting that I did for her.

(The Wilderness Part Two~second phase, 2011, 16×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

This painting is taught me a lesson in what is next in my painting career. This painting is 16×20″ on
CottonDuck Stretched Canvas and I must do bigger paintings now. I think that it is the right time as
it gives me more room to express myself artistically. This journey of me being “The Next Picasso” is
just the beginning as I am more creative than I actually know about. This is just my second year of
painting and I have reached to many lovers of art. Take your time to love the art that is out there from
fellow artistians as they have the most developed as well as intelligent, creative minds out there.

(The Wilderness Part Two~finished and clear version, 2011, 16×20 Acrylic Paint on Canvas)

Also, there is an artist and a blog that you need to check out: http://caloniedoesart.wordpress.com
She is very detailed in her blogs and a fellow lover and practitioner of art. Another artist that needs to
be check out is: http://studiomeco.com/ These women are the present and future of the art industry with
incredible talent and drive to be the best that they can be. Thanks for reading my blog and take care!

Headache, the painting

“Headache” was the absolute pain of a painting as I really had a headche while painting it. In my eyes, this painting has to be the most abstract of my recent work of art in a while. Keep in mind that my art style has changed and progress from the first time that I started painting. Before painting this painting, I placed the 16×20 blank Cotton Duck stretched canvas to my head and felt like crying because art has been a blessing for my entertainment as a kid rather than a spectacle for people to pine over with their eyes in a positive or negative way. My artwork is just pieces of how I feel as well as my word expressions put into paint form.

Last night was a follow-up to a painting that was in my head for a while about war in general. I never liked anything to do with war seeing that I am actually called the “antidrug, one love hippie” as I am pretty much cursed with monogamy. That is another story altogether. My paintings have peace and this was suppose to be about war and my thoughts about it. I painted the canvas gray in a doubling form to pop out any other color placed on it. I painted a bloodied man and crow upon him in abstract but transparent form. Bare in mind that my headache was occuring while doing so. This headache came full circle when I realize that this painting did not have my full expression of what I can do. I preceeded to make a streak of red and then one of white and blended the colors despite making the picture of my painting seem all but gone.

My mind is a roller coaster besides having a headache so this painting began to pain me. I have always been able to adapt to any situation brought upon me so I started to blend colors in this direction and that direction to the point that my painting was a sea of colors in an form of a rainbow effect. I saw a had and a face so I connected the two. My headache was telling my body “help me” so I incorprated those words into the words that the person was saying in the painting. After allof this painting, I said that I had no choice but to call this painting “Headache.” This painting is a mere case of me fighting througha headache and producing quite a momento of some of my earlier artwork. Enjoy the painting even though it pained me.

“Sunshine to the People Part Two (new painting)

“Sunshine to the People Part Two” 16×20 Acrylic Paint on CottonDuck stretched canvas. It is an African American couple who are face to face with their lips connected by a rose. Seems pretty simple. #art #painting 8/22/2011

Latest artwork and a link

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One pastel and two paintings. Did these on this week. I also have my first ever art portfolio website located at: http://www.wix.com/levineandre/home so check it out when you can. Contact we anywhere I am and I will respond promptly. Thanks!

Visual Artist/ Writer/ Creative Mastermind

My name is Andre Levine. I am from Pinopolis, South Carolina. I have taught myself everything that I do. I have been painting for about 5 months now. I used to doodle and write short stories from time to time but this is my first real attempt at painting since I was in grade school. I am currently painting full time, working on a zombie comic book and writing a mystery short story (15 chapters so far). I always paint artwork about nature and life. I have no sold any painting yet but I will soon! Hope it is enjoyable to all!

via Visual Artist/ Writer/ Creative Mastermind.

2 Stories, One Pen sketch

Nothing serious but this is a pen sketch that I did just the other night about two birds talking as well as two lovers crying. Enjoy….this is just one pen sketch and not anything big…yet. Doing a few things at a time. A lot of big things coming this year. Wish me luck and enjoy. Thanks!

New Pastel and Charcoal: The Sun Thinks

NEW ARTWORK….BAM…BAM!

2010 Artwork

My artwork for 2010 is also located at http://www.artbreak.com/andrelevine where I will most likely sell it. Press “like” if you like it. This is just the beginning of my artwork and the first full year of my painting. 2011 is near and bigger as well as better paintings are in the mist!