17 Oct 2011

Duck Farm Barns – mixed media painting

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Duck Farm Barns, mixed media on panel, Nancy Duck Hildebrand 2011

I finally finished this painting that I started in 2007. I had started by painting the whole wooden panel yellow, and doing a photo transfer of the old barns that used to stand on our family farm. I also tried some different technique samples such as using a product that creates rust (bottom left) and doing some other photo transfers that turned out very dark (horse in centre bottom right). I collaged scraps of my great grandfather’s farm notebooks – lists of numbers and sums. But the overall painting was just too yellow.

I decided to just put a gesso wash over most of the piece and start again. I added a lot more colour and some feminine themes: a woman riding in a buggy, a brooch found on the farm, a home remedy for rheumatism (transfer in the sky), and some receipts from egg sales – because the women in my ancestry did a lot of egg-selling and butter-making. I also finally got to use the old fuse I’ve been saving for this type of occasion, and some fencing wire. Overall, I’m a lot happier with it than the old version. I feel it is complete.

I now have almost 5 mixed media paintings completed in this farm series. I’m thinking of doing a few more watercolours as well – I have one already of my grandfather. Between the mixed media paintings, watercolours, and photographs of the farm, I think it would be a great series for an exhibit.

Detail – fuse and fencing wire

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