Blog: Mixed Media

Sydney Opera House Painting

2016

I was lucky to be invited twice to teach in Australia and I have fond memories of Sydney. The first time I went to Sydney we were able to get some tickets to a Herbie Hancock concert in the opera – the very last seats in the back …the sound was good..Herbie was a tiny ant- but it was pretty cool :) Australia is fascinating and a real Artful Adventure – for this painting I used an Australian Dictionary for the background, made a stamp with gum tree nuts and also used actual gum tree nuts. The painting is part of the travel chapter in my book Artful Adventures in Mixed Media. Maybe some day I will be back but until then this painting is my little Australia at home :)

Acrylic paint, ink, marker, charcoal, paper ephemera, gum tree nuts on canvas 9×12 -Available for Purchase – email me if interested .

 

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Tagging Along

There is something that makes me happy about a small little gift tag :) Here is one I created using some metallic color and teal with my new Downtown Stencil.

Love the pattern and border you can create with this stencil. I filled in the free space with my Numeral Stamp – another favorite of mine :)

Hope you are having a wonderful fall week :)

Here are the supplies I used for this simple tag:


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Hamburg Harbor – Painting

“Hamburg Harbor” was inspired by many bike rides around the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, my former home before moving to the US. This cityscape includes the addition of the huge ships that would come into the harbor – floating buildings that would add to an ever-changing skyline.

“Hamburg Harbor”  measures 9″ x 12″ – acrylic paint, acrylic ink, and spray paint on canvas and is available for sale.

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Tacheles – Mixed Media Painting

Tacheles” is a painting that is also in my book “Artful Adventures in Mixed Media”  . I used acrylic paint, acrylic ink, spray paint, and marker on canvas. It was inspired by Kunsthaus Tacheles in Berlin, a former department store built in 1907, owned by different groups and parties during WWII and East Germany, and finally from 1990 to 2012, rescued from being demolished by artists and turned into a gallery. The artists were forced to move out and the building remains empty at this time, but the histories and stories of this old building live on. My painting asks many questions: Who lived here? What happened in those building? What stories do they tell us?

It is now available for sale here.

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Decay – Art Journal Spread

I see beauty in decay, because I see beauty in what was, what is and what is yet to come. Isn’t that such a freeing and exciting way to look at things?

I used my new Downtown Stencil over a background which I had painted and also adhered masking tape too.

I love the pattern – well yeah —-um I am partial I guess ;)

Do you find beauty in things that are showing age or decay?

Here are some of the supplies besides acrylic paints that  I used:


Comments (2)

  • Sue Clarke

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    Yes I do, as long as it’s not me. LOL
    Especially decaying trees and old remains of stone/brick buildings.
    I like to imagine the lives that they’ve had!

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This Too Shall Pass – Painting

Just finished this painting last week. This scene is inspired by the scene upon exiting the Grove Street PATH train station in my Jersey City hood.

Tidy rows of shops and apartment buildings set the stage for a massive Shepard Fairey mural titled “The Jersey City Wave”, striking a pose above the bustle of the town.

The meaning of the subject and title is up to the viewer to decide.

I used acrylic paint, ink, marker and graphite on this 10″x8″ canvas. “This too shall pass” is available  here and would love to find a loving home.

 

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When was the last time you just played? Art Journal

The last couple weeks I was working on a lot of “schtuff” that was kind of deadline infused and when I was looking at the page here and wondered where I should take it- I decided I would just play and do whatever …

I had used my Versailles Positive and Negative Foam Stamp Set and layered them on top of each other

as well as the Van Vorst Positive and Negative Foam Stamp Set.

I played with some colors and wax paste , new graphite sticks and weathering areas- and had a really good time. And that is all that counts.

Now…when was the last time you just played? :)

Here are some of the supplies I used for the spread:


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Behind the Museum -Painting

I finished up this painting last week – and called it “Behind the Museum”

It depicts a quintessential streetscape in the city of Amsterdam, with it’s unmistakable architecture and one-of-a-kind beauty. On a recent trip to the city, after an afternoon spent enjoying the Rijksmuseum, I took in this lovely view while waiting for a tram. Since it was  a pretty long wait I just looked for 20 minutes at the details and contemplated about who used to live there, how the street looked like when it was built and who might live in there now.

I used acrylic paint, gouache, graphite and marker on canvas and the painting measures 10″ x 8″. It is available in the store now :)

Comments (2)

  • Sue Clarke

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    Nat, it just blows me away how far your art has come. From colorful scrapbook pages and cards to paintings that evoke feelings of warm neighborhoods that I want to visit! You go girl…you have the creative world by its heart strings.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      aweee- thank you so so much for your wonderful words! <3

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Struggling – Art Journal

She struggled for she wasn’t sure what the goal should be and she didn’t know how to just live in the moment.

I stamped with Archival ink and the Valley Road stamps from my Large and Small Circle Jumble Rubberstamp Set on top of a blue painted background.

I used a blue Stabilo Woody Pen to create some scribbles and went over the sketch again – I like the soft texture of the pencil versus the brush strokes and surface of the acrylic painted background.

Here are some of the supplies I used – as always you can find most of my stamps and stencils in my store here.


Comments (2)

  • Sue Clarke

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    I particularly like how you’ve been making patterns on clothes with your stamps.
    That statement just about sums up life.
    Have a delightful day Nat.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you sue- I love making those patterns – and I wish some of those clothes would magically appear in my wardrobe LOL! Have a delightful weekend Sue!

      Reply

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