Update on news and Dragon Boat Painting by Minnesota Mixed Media Artist Terry Honstead

Gosh, it has been so long since I have posted anything, I am not even sure if I know how to do it anymore!  (That is REALLY bad!!)  My life has just been crazy this past year.  If it could have happened, it probably did!  Anyway, I just got done with the yearly studio cruise and it was lots of fun and very successful considering that I now live way out in the country, instead of right in town!  I believe there were about 26 artists that opened their studios to the public this year.

Even though I have not been posting, I have still been painting.  This past summer I taught myself how to do encaustics and that was a lot of fun.  I made all of my own paints since it is much cheeper that way.  I even had some pretty good results on some of my paintings!  I should post of them one of these days, but to do it right, I should explain everything and I do not have the time right now.  They are so much harder to photograph than my other paintings.

This Dragon Boat is a painting that I should have finished a long time ago, but other things kept getting in the way.  I finished it today and am really happy with how it turned out.  It is a 15 x 12 in. watercolor, done on Arches 140# watercolor paper.   You can find it online at terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com  or email me about it at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Flower Stem" Encaustic Floral Painting by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

This 12 x 6 Encaustic painting was done by first painting coffee filters with many colors and then cutting them into the pattern that I wanted to use for the picture.  Lastly, it was fused to the wax that I had already applied and fused to my support.  It was an experiment and I think it worked well!  I will probably be using this mixed media technique more in the future.  As always, you can see more of my work at terry-honstead.artistwebistes.com or email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Springtime Arrives" encaustic painting by Minnesota mixed media artist Terry Honstead

This 6 x 12 encaustic painting is my forth attempt at using this challenging medium.  I like it, but I do have a lot to learn!  It is totally different from anything I have done before!  I find that a lot of the time, things bleed that I do not want to bleed!  I will keep trying!  I have learned that it is much easier to do when the weather is warm.  On cold days, the wax hardens very quickly!  To see more, check out my website  terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or send me an email at  honstead@paulbunyan.net

Encaustic #2 Abstract Mixed Media painting by Minnesota artist Terry Honstead

I finished another encaustic painting today.  Actually two of them!  These were lots of fun to do.  I did them each a little different than the other, but still made them so they could be used together.  I have an opening to an art show tomorrow from 5:00 - 7:00 and I may take them with me and just set them out somewhere.  I think they really need to set for a while to harden more.  This painting has eyelets in and I used oil sticks in both of them as well as metallic foil.  the first painting is 5 x 5 and the second one is 6 x 12 although it looks smaller on this page.  You can see more of my work on terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me athonstead@paulbunyan.net.

Encaustic #1 landscape painting by Minnesota mixed media artist Terry Honstead

This little 5 x 5 encaustic artwork is my very first encaustic painting.  For those of you that do not know what encaustic is, it is painting with a mixture of beeswax and damar resin.  You cook the mixture until it melts and then you get the clear medium.  I also made my own colors out of dry powdered pigment.  That is just one of the ways that you can make the colored wax.  I really enjoyed making it all myself!  This is actually an ancient way of painting that is permanent enough to still have some of it around that was done over 2000 years ago.  If you are interested, look up Fayum Portraits online.  It is all quite fascinating!  Anyway, I am hoping that this is the beginning of something I will really love doing!  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

View From Above abstract landscape by Minnesota mixed media artist Terry Honstead

This was an abstract landscape painting ( 5 x 7 )that I finished today.  It is from a study that I did from a picture of the Grand Canyon.  It was a new technique influenced by Gustav Klimt.  It was lots of fun to do!  I may do several of these in the near future!  To see more of my work or to purchase, you can go to terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Color My World" Abstract Landscape by Minnesota Mixed Media Artist Terry Honstead

Two 30 x 24 stretched canvases make up this  abstract mixed media landscape.  There are many layers in this and it actually started out a lot more realistic, but I didn't like it.  The colors were not what I was looking for so I just put on more and more layers!  This seems a lot more springy!!  It can be seen on my website terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or you can email me for more at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net

"Dawning of a New Day" Watercolor Landscape by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

This 27 x 16 in watercolor was done from a picture that my daughter took in our yard.  It was taken in the evening and I wanted it to be a sun rise.  So many of the shadows and colors are different than the original picture which was very dark!  This is for sale on my website where you can also see others that are similar.    terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com  Or email me at   honstead@paulbunyan.net.

The Dawning of a New Day Transparent Watercolor Landscape by Minnesota Multi Media artist Terry Honstead

I thought I should post this one more time before I finish it since I had one posted already!  I am still having some trouble with the taking of a lighter picture, but I guess it will be good enough for a work in progress!  I do have a name now and I am happy with it.  The snowshoes will not stay the color that they are right now.  It is just an undercoat. I am hoping that this turns out ok because I plan on putting it in the Artists of Minnesota Spring Show which is held toward the end of April.  It is in St. Cloud this year, and I am looking forward to it.  Since I am president, I will be there and am really looking forward to it!  I still have close to a month before I have to have this done.  If I keep working on it every day, it should be done by then!  Hopefully, I won't mess up because this is it!!  I have already had some problems on the lacing of the snowshoes.  It is just confusing to try to draw what I see, even though I do know what I need to do, it is easy to get messed up!  I am also not very happy with the gold in the snow, but it is pretty hard to get rid of even though it is a transparent color.

Untitled Watercolor Landscape by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

Why is it that when you try to photograph a light picture, especially with light blues and grays, it always comes out dull and dingy looking?  I like this painting so far, and I have a long way to go, but I am liking the way the sunrise just glows and the trees look like they were hit by the rising sun.  It is another tribute to my life and family, and is a common sight at my house!  Especially this winter.  Snow is deep here and everyone is getting tired of the cold weather.  Spring cannot come soon enough!  One more thing I should probably say about this painting is that the beige color on the snowshoes is not from painting, but is from a resist that I used to keep those areas from being painted as I did the background.  Instead of a masking fluid from and art store, I used "Tear Mender" which is a lot cheaper and actually lasts longer than the traditional ones.

"Solitude" Mixed Media Landscape by Minnesota Contemporary Mixed Media Artist Terry Honstead

This 24 x 36 mixed media painting represents our cold, gray, quiet winter mornings on the lake.   The fish house is where the guys go two or three times a day when they are at home.  I, myself, stay in the nice warm house!  To see more of my paintings you can go to:  terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Stormy Night" Landscape by Minnesota Contemporary Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

This 22 x 28 landscape (or seascape) painting called "Stormy Night"  was an experiment in using black as the background.  I have never painted on black before and this was fun.  A lot different than I expected!  I used a lot of iridescent and interference paints with this and it really made the colors pop on the black background!  You can find more of my work at:http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/terry-honstead.html or email me at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Lean on Me" by Minnesota Contemporary Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

I have been working on this 40 x 40 mixed media painting for quite a while now.  I made the heads out of wire and egg shells and had to attach them to the larger canvas.  I used many different types of papers on the background and have lots of layers!  I have had quite of few comments on this, and they are not all great, but everyone has an opinion and taking the time to really look is actually what I was going for!  I believe I have accomplished my goal with this painting!

Water's Edge Landscape painting by Contemporary Mixed Media Artist Terry Honstead

Water's Edge is a 30 by 40 mixed media landscape that I finished by adding more trees to the closest rolling hills, and some more shadows and a bird.  I think it added a lot.  I am much more satisfied with the looks of it now.  If you are interested in seeing more you can look at my website : terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com/ or email me at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

Untitled Work in Progress landscape painting by Minnesota contemporary Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

 I thought I would post a step by step on this painting even though it is not quite done yet.  I started out by glueing down different kinds of papers.  Some of them were ones that I made (like the top row that is brown...I made this one using tissue paper and coffee grounds and water) Most of them were different textures and colors.   Then I used some molding paste to add texture to the foreground, thinking of trees and grasses as I did.

 Next I painted on top of the layers of papers, using purples and blues and then greens as I came forward in the picture.  I didn't paint the blue at all as I used paper the color that I wanted there.

                                      
 I started adding grasses and tree trunks to the foreground.  I also put in some shadows and rocks.

Then I added some yellow to spots on the foreground as well.  I also used a sea sponge to put the foliage on the trees in the foreground.  I put some shading on the water to bring the greens into it.  I am thinking at this point that I might add a little more hint of trees in the hill layers and  maybe a bird or something else.  I also will add some metallics to it.  I also should do some more shadows wider for the leaves of the trees.  I am not really pleased with this painting so far, but I will finish it anyway!

"Fall Festival" landscape painting by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

I finished it!  I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  I feel that this 30 x 40 landscape painting is bright and colorful and fun which is exactly what I was going for!  I put some shading in today by the bottom of the red layer and to push the front trees closer to the front while pushing the other tress back. I also added some red to the ground and more tree branches.  If you are interested in purchasing this original or as a print, you can go to:  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/terry-honstead.html or email me at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

Landscape painting by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

This is not done yet, but I thought I would at least share what I have finished so far.  I started with some  papers that I made and some that I found.  I added molding paste and stamps and as much texture as I could for the under painting.  I started with the background of green trees in the distance and then the gold and orange that are closer.  I have a few flowers in the foreground that I had done earlier on rice paper.  They are done with printers ink and watercolor as well as collage.  I want to do some more detail yet and bring some of the trees  forward and push some further back.  I plan on working on it again tomorrow.  Any questions and you can email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net

"Remembering" Still Life Painting by Minnesota Mixed Media Artist Terry Honstead

I just finished this 5 x 7 mixed media (colored pencil and ink drawing) of an old toy.  I am trying to do some 5 x 7 paintings for a fundraiser that artists of Studio 10 will be doing this coming summer.  I plan on doing several more for the Bemidji Food Shelf fundraiser.  Colored Pencil works well while I am laid up after foot surgery.  It is something I can do in my recliner!  If anyone else is interested in donating art work for this very good cause, please email Minnesota mixed media artist Terry Honstead at :  honstead@paulbunyan.net

Interplanetary Splendor, abstract mixed media painting by Minnesota artist, Terry Honstead

I posted a picture of this whole painting the other day when I was almost done with it.  I got the metallics that I have been waiting on and used three colors of metallics on it.  It was such fun.  I used a quilting iron to put it on!  I am looking forward to using much more of these metallics on my paintings in the future!  This is a close-up of the texture of the painting.  I am so excited about it!!  If you are interested in this or anything else, feel free to write me at honstead@paulbunyan.net

Untitled

I thought I would post this mixed media piece today even though it isn't finish.  I will be out of commission for the next two days.  I tried several different techniques in this painting so far.  I need to put in one more fern and then we will see how it looks.  I also want to put on some metallics.  I have a new and different kind of metallics that I am really anxious to try!  We will see what the painting tells me as I get that done!  Any questions you can email me at:honstead@paulbunyan.net

Interplanetary Splendor

I am finally sort of settled in my new home and I have started painting again!  It has felt so good to work on things.  Now I decided I had better start blogging again!  This is my first painting since I restarted after Christmas!  I was thinking of Christmas and New Year when I painted it and it is special to me as I feel like I have a new beginning!  New house, new studio, new haircut, and new year!  I hope this year is wonderful for all of you!  My goal for the year is to work and develop my style in mixed media.  I want my work to be recognized as mine!  This on is not totally finished by the way!  I ordered some metallics and I want to add those before I consider this done!  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.