Collaborative abstract painting with my 11 year old…

If you’ve been following me you’ve gotten the hint that I’m a little sneaky about trying to get my kids to make art.  This time, I thought I’d try to catch my daughter’s interest with collaborative abstract painting.

I started off by throwing on some paint that had been leftover from another painting.  It was also a lovely excuse to get up and stretch occasionally.  Given my fiber art leanings, it started to resemble a weaving.  Hmmm…

Purple found its way into the painting.  Hehe!  Imagine that!   My daughter started asking a bunch of questions at about this time (fish bobber bobbing)…

Turning the canvas to give a fresh perspective, I encouraged my daughter to add-on some of her leftover paint.  I explained she could put color and lines anywhere she would like.  There was no right or wrong.  The painting was not supposed to be anything but an exercise in mark making, color and balance.  I further encouraged her to consider painting over marks as needed, since adding something to a painting can shift the balance.  She approached the painting (slowly reeling in)…

It was clear something was needed for the painting to be cohesive, but it was too “busy” all over, it wasn’t clear what.  So here I used a palate knife and darker blue to create some negative space, or rest areas.  My happy mommy moment came when Eleanor took a look at this and proclaimed it needed turquoise squares.  (Gotcha! Grab the net!)  Sadly, I was so caught up in that moment, I forgot to photo it.  Gah!

Just to indulge my curiosity, I thought I’d play with a technique used in weaving called clasped weft… to see if it was even possible to do successfully in painting.  I taped off areas 3 different times and “wove” with black.

Completed, it seemed to balance better viewed from this angle.  Check out those turquoise squares.  Now I just have to get my daughter in to sign it with me (throwing the hook back out there)…