“I live for those who love me, for those who know me true, for the heaven so blue above me, and the good that I can do.”
– George Linnaeus Banks
Gold ring circle abstract painting
Tag: stephanie konu art
Stephanie’s Art Roll Call
I recently shot this video to feature the beautiful way my recent artwork carries on from one piece to another.
On a gorgeously sunny day I staged my artwork in the sunlight, and kept them organized by size/ style.
By arranging them in this style, the consistent use of a golden sun is highly prominent. One can also easily see the iridescent quality of each work, as they are very reflective in the sunlight.
The colours just pop! It’s hard to believe that there are no filters, or after effects on this video- this is raw footage of my work in direct sunlight- radiating positive vibes into the universe!
I think that a series of prints featuring all of these images would do well- and I will happily make these available if asked. I hope that my message of positivity is conveyed as an overall theme when this video is viewed, and that it brightened your day/ week as well.
Thank you for stopping by,
S
How to say hello during a pandemic.
Recorded April 2020 during the Covid Pandemic.
Thanks for stopping by,
S
Large Blue and Gold abstract acrylic
My latest work is an extremely large landscape measuring 86 inches x 26 inches.
The work is entitled “Simple Sun” and uses brilliant blue, turquoise, and gold to make an abstract landscape of a rising sun over ocean waves.
Simple Sun Acrylic on Canvas by Stephanie Konu 2020
The unconventional size was as a result of making two large art canvases for a commissioned work. I was unsure how well I could create the size, so I made two.
Simple Sun Acrylic on Canvas by Stephanie Konu 2020
Simple Sun Acrylic on Canvas by Stephanie Konu 2020
The golden sun is a deep rich field that has a reflective and metallic finish. Where it meets the blue background, a hard edge is formed. The eye is brought to these hard edges and a high contrast is achieved.
Where the ocean wave meets the sky, turquoise metallic finishes edge the crash of a cataclysmic wave. Despite the enormity of the wave, it is still eclipsed by the magnitude of the simple sun.
In the heart of the sun, an orb of texture is visible.
Creating this piece was very therapeutic for me. It took many hour to get the sun exactly right. When the (real) summer sun returns to my backyard, I will be able to take more accurate photos that do a better job at capturing the metallic finishes and reflection of light that make this piece exceptional.
Thanks for stopping by,
-S
Blue and Gold Abstract Acrylic
Happy Black History month!
My latest acrylic on canvas abstract work has two parts. I used the same palate for both pieces: blues of varying shades, gold, and green lurking in the background.
I have been dedicating myself to larger sizes of canvas of late. I still prefer square dimensions, but I have realized that the size of my work translates better on large settings. Large sizes also allow for more experimentation.
I named these pieces “Summer’s Day” and “Summer’s Night” to further signify their companion status to each other. Each piece is 23 x 23 inches in size.
I think that on their own, each looks quite striking; metallic gold fields are eye catching when executed in this way. The above piece (Summer’s Night) features translucent fields that pop out of the turbulent background like ghosts. I paint fastidiously to create layers of colour over my canvas, and in my mind this creates a depth of experience. There are times that an entire scene is covered up, revealing only a fragment of what once showed prominently. Because I created what existed before and chose to cover it, I get to be the only person who knows what lies beneath. Another deep inner thought about the creative process, I suppose.
The above piece (Summer’s Day) was created earlier than Summer’s Night. My inspiration for this piece was the work of Joan Miro. I love how lighter fields dance over darker backgrounds that form part of earlier layers. Again, here I am able to hold the secret of what existed before and I love it. My weirdness is ever evolving when it comes to my artistic practice.
If I could paint all day…
Thank you for stopping by and visiting my corner of the world. Check back soon to visit my blog archives, and to see what I’ve been up to.
-S
Gold textured mask with a black background
My latest work is a mask inspired by my ancestral Yoruba tribe from West Africa. I wanted to represent the model of an elongated and oval shaped face, as this is commonly seen on traditional masks from the region.
Here you can see an up close and angled perspective of the nose bridge of the mask. The area is raised slightly to show a break in the surface of the face.
The method of this painting further explores my current practice of singular images against a black negative space. For this blog post, I felt that it was beneficial to take photos of the side angles and above/below vantage points to fully emphasize the immense texture in this piece.
A side view reveals a crevice of texture that was created when I applied some very grainy pieces to the face surface. I did this to add drama to the piece, and to represent the tribal scars of warfare that this mask would traditionally represent.
The eyes are a deep vacant black with glowing gold specks that are raised and have texture. My initial response was that seemed “spooky” but I think it was necessary to have gold floating over top of a black area for the eyes; as it allows the eyes to have their own space and stand out.
If looking closely, you can see a faint outline of lips protruding from the surface. I tried my best but I often get impatient when I have a good idea that I am excited about. Adding lips to emphasize the African features was one of these ideas. The next time I attempt to make a mask like this, I would like to spend more time on smoother corners and more pronounced features.
Thank you for stopping by, and as always I enjoy reading your comments
-S
Gold relief painting in acrylic
My latest work is an acrylic relief painting that is heavy in texture. There is so much texture that my work is part sculpture, as the object emerges from the canvas surface.
The concept follows the theme of my last few pieces; which is to show singular symbols against a black background. As the golden image floats through the darkness, it is representative of an echo from unknown depths coming outward. I say “echo” because it is difficult to determine what becomes of a feeling or thought once it is released into the universe. Perhaps on some level (collective consciousness, spiritual, or what have you), we communicate with symbols that carry deep personal meanings.
Upon looking closer, one can detect the relief caused by the use of texture. Using my palate knife, I sculpted the division of the planet’s rings from the body of the sphere. It was also difficult to make a decision as to whether or not it was proper to paint black lines to further divide the rings from the planet.
If I could change anything about this piece, it would be the unevenness caused by the division of the planet’s ring against the sphere body of the planet. I find it distracting.
When naming this piece, I wanted to avoid the obvious choice by calling it “Saturn”. To accomplish this, I researched other planets in our solar system with rings and learned that the planet Uranus has rings! The brightest of the 13 rings of Uranus is named Epsilon, and so voila!; the name of this golden planetoid painting was chosen.
This last shot is altered; brightness levels have been reduced, while contrast has been increased. This allows the blackness of the background to really offset the gold multi faceted sphere surface and it’s rings.
This design is also available on many items printed on demand at www.spacearttshirts.com. Thank you for stopping by.
-S
Green abstract blended acrylic
My latest acrylic is a calming green abstract.
The colours gradually change with influences of yellow, slate grey, and blue. The borders are a deeper darker forest green. Dark borders represent an encroaching concern. Something that the light must face and fend off in the very near future.
In the top right corner there is a chartreuse (half way between yellow and green) figure that is reminiscent of a sun. It beams down across the abstract landscape. In the heart of the painting, the green blends take on a shape that to me, resemble a bird with wings that is soaring across the sky.
I imagine the lush forest green as the land below the sun. It’s funny, but until I wrote this post, I had not even noticed that this was yet another abstract sun painting. I suppose some things stay hidden in the mind until a stimuli brings them to the forefront. I enjoy playing with green, and I think that the colour has contributed to my artistic strength.
My current mini gallery of green paintings (pictured above) shows how my artwork goes together. Scenes like this are part of what drive me to create. Green is still my favourite colour, and I will continue to use it regularly in my work.
Thanks for stopping by,.
S
Vintage sun painting in acrylic
Greetings!
Creating beauty is what I enjoy spending my time on.
..and of course: I love to share my latest projects with you, here on my blog.
My latest work is a gorgeous and understated acrylic on canvas. It depicts a sun that seems to be glowing against a black sky. Rose gold clouds drift upwards and swirl back into themselves.
When I first completed this 6 x 10 inch piece, my initial response was the vintage illustration feel. It reminded me of an illustration one might see in an old car garage or gas station.
It speaks to me like an echo of a memory…something I can’t quite recall. “Vintage” speaks of the past, but not of any specific person’s past. Could I use the term collective consciousness here?
Anyway..
I used many layers to achieve the “glow” of blue around the orange sun, which was essentially part of the underpainting. It has a size that I like to work with as well, since smaller surface area means more risks with techniques/colours. I definitely like the execution of my latest work.
Thanks for stopping by,
S.
Gold, blue and white acrylic
My latest work is entitled: “Father Out Stretch My Hands”. It is an eclecticly blended piece that features navy blue, gold and smoky white.
The abstract image has a “heavenly” feel to it, and reminds me of two hands reaching out over a distance to touch each other. It is not quite as sophisticated as Michaelangelo, but the beauty of art is that what you see is what it is.
I like the meditative aspect of this piece. The swirling texture of acrylic was achieved by using a palette knife to mold the medium rather than my usual pouring technique. There is tranquility emitted in the smokey white clouds as they fly over, and a slight silvery gloss floats over top the gold and navy blue fields.
Thanks for stopping by.
S
Lillybochic 