My Blue Summer
It’s been a whirlwind of activity after my residency ended in May. I’m trying to do better about posting more regularly to this blog but it’s a challenge to carve out the time to write something. In addition to doing open studios and a small solo show at Vital Arts studio in June, I also had my work up on display from late June until today at Bergdorf Goodman in Fifth Avenue.
Angel Number 15 in Blue, 36”x48” acrylic on canvas (SOLD)
As you may have noticed, it’s been hot as hell this summer. The changing climate brings increasingly intense summers to the point that I don’t look forward to the season like I used to. Not only does the extreme and humidity make me sluggish, but it also makes me irritable.
My cure for this was to delve into a series of blue Proginoskes paintings and collages. I wanted to capture the feeling of the more soothing aspects of nature such as the lush green trees that surround my neighborhood and the brilliant hue of a blue sky on a cloudless day.
Angel Number 530 in Blue
30”x30” acrylic and ink on canvas.
Email jaimee@jaimeetodd.com for inquiries.
I first got into blue artwork when I created Angel Number 15 in Blue (pictured above), which I created for my final residency exhibition. I decided to do a simplified line work design on my largest piece to date (36”x48” canvas). I was pleasantly surprised by how strongly it resonated with so many people during the exhibition; many told me that they found the blue tones to be soothing but bold.
After that, I created another larger acrylic and ink piece on canvas called Angel Number 530. With this piece, I decided to experiment with different shades of blue to create a feeling of depth and texture. Unlike my first blue piece, I decided to play more with small details which seem to take on a life of their own.
I also can’t resist a collage, especially after a painting or drawing doesn’t work out. With the help of metallic paper, I also made a series of smaller framed collages. Combining the blues, golds and greens were reminiscent of relics from ancient Egypt. These are all different interpretations of Proginoskes, the angel from the book, A Wind in the Door, but I also like to think of them as sentinels that protect and soothe.
(Pictured above, Angel Number 12 in Blue, acrylic on paper, 18”x24” and Angel Number 7 in Blue, acrylic on paper,12”x16” framed).
As the summer winds down, along with the temperatures, I can already feel the shift towards different color schemes and themes to explore but I will always look back with great fondness at my blue summer.
