Legs That Go Go GO! New paintings by Jessica Ballantyne

Legs That Go Go GO! New paintings by Jessica Ballantyne

 

surreal, oil painting, painting, studio, artist studio, legs, lace, blue legs, surrealism, dark art, erotic, strange, dream, subconscious, bedding, bed landscape, landscape, desert, sky, clouds, hold up stockings, lace, stockings, fishnet stockings, bright, vibrant, yellow, blue, feet, double, mirror image, mirror, feminism, objectification,

 

The days are getting longer, which means…
more daylight hours in the studio for painting!!
It also means I can almost start cycling to the studio again, through the beautiful Rainham marshes, which is a healthy pleasure:)

I am very happy to announce that the two paintings I have been working on- for too many months now, are finally complete!

This year I am focusing on creating 12 large oil paintings in the theme of bed and dream. These are the first two in the series. See that big canvas behind them that they are resting on in the above picture? I have made two that size that will be the next two paintings…My aim is to have my first solo exhibition in the beginning of 2016!

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Inspiration

 

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landscape, legs that go all the way up, humourous art, strange art, vibrant art, oil painting, contemporary art, south african artist, surreal, oil painting, painting, studio, artist studio, legs, lace, blue legs, surrealism, dark art, erotic, strange, dream, subconscious, bedding, bed landscape, landscape, desert, sky, clouds, hold up stockings, lace, stockings, fishnet stockings, bright, vibrant, yellow, blue, feet, double, mirror image, mirror, feminism, objectification,

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The title, Legs that Go Go GO! is a response to the phrase; “Legs that go on forever” a phrase used to describe a tall, slender (attractive?) women.

I have subverted the phrase with “legs that go go go” not only to insinuate the length and mirrored quality of the legs (that really do “go on forever”) but also to insinuate action…something that is rarely attributed to the female form in art and the media.

These legs are muscular and ready to run!

There are a few artists that were visually inspiring for this piece. Joan Jonas being one and Hans Bellmer being another. Bellmer was interested in the fetish. His dolls incorporate adolescent-looking female parts and clothing.

Although he insisted his work was an opposition to the fascist Nazi government, politics aside, one cannot ignore the nudity and prepubescence of these sexually displayed dolls, that make his work as much of an expression of his own sexuality through the female form, as a rejection of the Nazi rule at the time.

Where Bellmer uses images of adolescence ( school shoes, socks, prepubescent body), I added a more “adult” signifier of sexuality and sexual allure and availability- that of the fishnet stocking.

I chose fishnets because they have the same quality that lace has, which I love for the same reason- in that it covers without covering and reveals without revealing completely.

I placed the legs in an unfamiliar surrounding.

They are the inhabitants of a strange land- a kind of bedding, desert landscape- a soft place to run and walk around. I did this because I find the bedroom has always been an important place for me -a space of comfort, privacy and security- to sleep, to dream, to create, amongst other things 🙂

I also associate the bed with death and rebirth; I see deep sleep as a kind of death- death of ego, and waking up as the rebirth of ego and identity.

 

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The Doll c.1937-8  Hans Bellmer 1902-1975  Medium: Photographs, black and white, and ink on paper Dimensions Support: 185 x 752 mm frame: 211 x 781 x 18 mm  Photo: © Tate, London [2015] 

 

I suppose my legs are a direct response to Bellmer’s leggy doll; a sexualised and disfigured female anatomy. However the response is a critical one. The legs in Legs that Go Go GO! are not lying down, they are not passive.

They actively confront the viewer.

My aim was to create an uncanny, living presence in the legs. I wanted to give an uncanny strength and presence to an often purely sexualised part of the female body.

 

Process Pictures

 

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landscape, legs that go all the way up, humourous art, strange art, vibrant art, oil painting, contemporary art, south african artist, surreal, oil painting, painting, studio, artist studio, legs, lace, blue legs, surrealism, dark art, erotic, strange, dream, subconscious, bedding, bed landscape, landscape, desert, sky, clouds, hold up stockings, lace, stockings, fishnet stockings, bright, vibrant, yellow, blue, feet, double, mirror image, mirror, feminism, objectification, close up,

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landscape, legs that go all the way up, humourous art, strange art, vibrant art, oil painting, contemporary art, south african artist, surreal, oil painting, painting, studio, artist studio, legs, lace, blue legs, surrealism, dark art, erotic, strange, dream, subconscious, bedding, bed landscape, landscape, desert, sky, clouds, hold up stockings, lace, stockings, fishnet stockings, bright, vibrant, yellow, blue, feet, double, mirror image, mirror, feminism, objectification, close up, artist studio, Jessica Ballantyne, legs that go

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Jessica-Ballantyne-Painting-in-progress

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Jessica-Ballantyne-in-progress

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Jessica Ballantyne Art Auction; Gathered Moss


Jessica-Ballantyne-Gathering-Moss-framed.jpgJessica-Ballantyne-Gathering-Moss-framed.jpg

Jessica Ballantyne Art Auction; Gathered Moss

Part of the small scale oils, see it on Ebay!

a painting a day, daily painting, surreal surreal body, surreal figure, dream figure, psychological painting, spychological compression, blue painting, cool painting, cold colours, many breasted, multiple boobs, many boobs, boob growths, sad face, sad painting, painted rocks, surreal landscape, surreal female figure, dark art, disturbing art, psychological art

 

Up for auction is this little painting called ‘Gathered Moss’. The title is a play on the proverb; ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’. In this case the figure has stopped ‘rolling’ and is ‘between a rock and a hard place’ so to speak:) It is a reflective piece which explores the feeling of being stuck and frustrated in the body. Ironically the original meaning of the proverb is that “people who are always moving, with no roots in one place, avoid responsibilities and cares”. Originally the ‘moss’ in the proverb was a symbol of roots and stability, a highly praised thing.

Same words, different perspectives!

Lots of different shades of blue were used in this figurative, landscape. The colours are vibrant and shimmering. The rocks have deep, mossy greens (difficult to capture on the photograph).

Although small, this painting will have a huge impact in its setting. It is unconventional and full of character. ‘Gathered Moss’ is part of a series of small scale original oils I did this year. Made with high quality pigments, this piece really pops out and would look super in a large frame 🙂

Will be posted securely and registered by Royal Mail (signature required)

ends 24th August 2014

Low starting price, so view this piece on ebay!

 

Art Auction: Psychological Compression; Signed Original oil painting, Surrealism, dark, fantasy, blue

Art Auction: Psychological Compression; Signed Original oil painting, Surrealism, dark, fantasy, blue

Delightfully dark and contemplative

See it on Ebay here

This delightfully dark and contemplative piece was painted as part of a series of small scale original oils. It’s inspired in part, by the psychological state and land of the “doldrums”, experienced by a character in the novel “the Phantom Toll Booth”. A very ‘blue’ painting in both senses of the word, but also a peaceful, contemplative and mysterious one; a true ‘dream scape’ 🙂

a painting a day, daily painting, surreal surreal body, surreal figure, dream figure, psychological painting, spychological compression, blue painting, cool painting, cold colours, many breasted, multiple boobs, many boobs, boob growths, sad face, sad painting

a painting a day, daily painting, surreal surreal body, surreal figure, dream figure, psychological painting, spychological compression, blue painting, cool painting, cold colours, many breasted, multiple boobs, many boobs, boob growths, sad face, sad painting

Title: Psychological Compression
Medium: Oil on canvas board
Size: 18x13cm
UNframed

The painting will be well protected and tracked via Royal Mail:)

Bidding starts at just £25

See more on Ebay here

Jessica Ballantyne’s Painting a Day for 30 Days- The Final Five!

Jessica Ballantyne’s Painting a Day for 30 Days- The Final Five!

Take a look at the final five paintings and a couple of lessons learnt

The daily painting challenge is officially over although its taken me a while to post the pictures! I decided to do a painting challenge called a Painting a Day for 30 Days. Well its taken a little longer than 30 days but I have got 30 artworks to show for it. You can read about the start of it here in this post .

I have super enjoyed and hated the daily painting project. I went through stages of excitement, boredom and depression about it! So dramatic;)

I guess the challenge was an internal one and more about getting on with something without listening to the ego voice in your head than about creating 30 paintings in 30 days.

A few things I realised along the way:

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  • I realised I have been using time and the amount of time it takes to complete a painting as an excuse not to create as much as I should.
  • I realised I can produce art at a steady pace but need concrete goals and time limits to do so.
  • I realised I should paint and make art even during the times when I don’t feel like it (the feeling usually passes once I get started).

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The hurdle was not creating 30 paintings in 30 days, it was and is to overcome my own mind, the feeder of thoughts and ideas but also doubts and insecurities.

The greatest challenge and exhilaration is when I can simply ignore the thoughts, feelings and subtle suggestions that make it appear as though I am stuck, unable to create anything, and discover the total tranquility that is there all the time but shrouded by thought.

So without further a due here are the final five paintings from the painting a day challenge!

 

Jessica Ballantyne, painting in progress, eyes a boob, surreal, eyes, body parts, breasts, squished bodies, surreal bodies, art in progress, pink, oil painting, warm colours, red, magenta, blue eyes, peeping eyes, peeping tom, pencil eye, wallpaper, eye looking through wallpaper, surrealism, quirky art, strange art, different art, voyeuristic

 

Jessica Ballantyne, painting in progress, eyes a boob, surreal, eyes, body parts, breasts, squished bodies, surreal bodies, art in progress, pink, oil painting, warm colours, red, magenta, blue eyes, peeping eyes, peeping tom, pencil eye, wallpaper, eye looking through wallpaper, surrealism, quirky art, strange art, different art, voyeuristic

 

pink oil painting, pink nude, pink, nude, art, paitning, pink boob, pink nipple, antique frame, oval frame, classical nude, feminist nude, Jessica Ballantyne, Daily Painting 23, painting a day, feminism, female ideology, objectification, beauty, close up nude

pink oil painting, pink nude, pink, nude, art, paitning, pink boob, pink nipple, antique frame, oval frame, classical nude, feminist nude, Jessica Ballantyne, Daily Painting 23, painting a day, feminism, female ideology, objectification, beauty, close up nude

pink oil painting, pink nude, pink, nude, art, paitning, pink boob, pink nipple, antique frame, oval frame, classical nude, feminist nude, Jessica Ballantyne, Daily Painting, close up nude

 

Free free to comment or join the Facebook Group here and have a look or share your artworks! You can start at anytime, no judgements!

Sign up to my newsletter to hear about the next challenge!

 

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #14

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #14

Masking

Day number 14 for my painting a day challenge for 30 days is “Masking”, a painting based on the sold drawing with the same name. It was rather nice giving the image colour  (the drawing was mostly monotone in colour, apart from the masks). So here it is, daily painting number fourteen. The mask is inspired by a specific palm tree that grows in South Africa, the thorny leaves that fall from the tree always reminded me of some kind of creature:)

A painting a day, daily painting, surreal surreal body, surreal figure, dream figure, psychological painting, spychological compression, blue painting, cool painting, cold colours, many breasted, multiple boobs, many boobs, boob growths, sad face, sad painting, painted rocks, surreal landscape, surreal female figure, dark art, disturbing art, psychological art, african figure, african, african mask, nude female, animal mask, breasts, painted breasts

 

So that was day number 14 stay tuned for day number 15! Don’t miss out on any! Sign up to my newsletter and get them in your inbox once a week:)

A Painting a Day day for 30 Days – Day #13

A painting a Day day for 30 Days – Day #13

 Bug

Daily painting number 13! I fell a bit behind with the daily painting challenge! But I have picked myself up and started again from daily painting number 13. This oil painting is called “Bug” very simply because it reminded me of one after looking at it when it was finished. I thought it looked like a praying mantis. It was going to be something else entirely but it wanted to be a “Bug” so there we go.

a painting a day, daily painting, surreal surreal body, Bug painting, original oil painting, nude, nude femalesurreal figure, dream figure, psychological painting, spychological compression, red painting, pink painting, orange painting, warm painting, warm colours, many breasted, multiple boobs, many boobs, boob growths, sad face, sad painting

 

a painting a day, daily painting, surreal surreal body, Bug painting, original oil painting, nude, nude femalesurreal figure, dream figure, psychological painting, spychological compression, red painting, pink painting, orange painting, warm painting, warm colours, many breasted, multiple boobs, many boobs, boob growths, sad face, sad painting

 

I took these photos in my studio. hence the messy palette and brushes! If you want to get updates on my paintings once a week, please sign up to my newsletter!

 

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #10

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #10

Automatic painting 2

Day number 10 of the daily painting challenge! I decided to do an automatic painting, not with lines like Automatic Painting 1, but with colour, straight onto the canvas with no plan what so ever. Shapes and forms started to appear in this daily painting which did not really make sense, but now, every time I look at it I see something different:) This was the result of an automatic painting for the painting a day challenge:

Daily painting, painting a day, Jessica Ballantyne, Jessica Ballantyne Artist, automatic drawing, surrealist techniques, surreal, surrealism, distortion, automatic painting,abstract automatic painting, abstract figurative, suggestive artdistorted body, soft body, melting body, body abstraction, colour painting, contemporary artist, uk artists, south African artists

What do you see? Let me know in the comments!

 

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #9

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #9

Chameleon

Day number 9 for my daily painting challenge (okay I take weekends off the small scale daily paintings). For this day I was flipping through my sketch book for some ideas and came across a drawing I did ages ago, with the plan of turning into a larger piece. Since the drawing wasn’t complete I decided to make it my Painting a Day challenge for the day. “Chameleon” is the result:

Daily painting, painting a day, jessica Ballantyne, original oil painting, small scale oil painting, chameleon, camouflage, colourful body, figurative painting, lined painting, parallel lines, vertical lines, body in lines, lined body, surreal figure, surreal painting, stripes of colour, stripes, painted stripes,

 

Let me know what you think of this piece in the comments!:)

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #8

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #8

Automatic Painting

Automatic drawing was invented and used by many of the surrealists as a means of expressing the subconscious. Thought to be freed from rational control, this method was supposed to give a peek into the individuals psyche, although most admitted that a combination of unconscious and conscious methods were used. In this painting I have started without a plan of sorts, just wet my brush with thin paint and started with lines. Since most of my work is figurative , a body always comes forth when I am doodling without thinking. At least that’s what I see. So here it is:

Daily painting, painting a day, Jessica Ballantyne, Jessica Ballantyne Artist, automatic drawing, surrealist techniques, surreal, surrealism, distortion, distorted body, soft body, melting body, body abstraction, line painting, contemporary artist, uk artists, south African artists

Daily painting, painting a day, Jessica Ballantyne, Jessica Ballantyne Artist, automatic drawing, surrealist techniques, surreal, surrealism, distortion, distorted body, soft body, melting body, body abstraction, line painting, contemporary artist, uk artists, south African artists

So go on and give automatic painting a try and post it to my Facebook page 🙂

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #7

A Painting a Day for 30 Days – Day #7

Colossus

My daily painting for day number seven is inspired by a poem by Sylvia Plath called Colossus, here is the first stanza:

“I shall never get you put together entirely, 
Pieced, glued, and properly jointed. 
Mule-bray, pig-grunt and bawdy cackles
Proceed from your great lips.
It’s worse than a barnyard.”

This poem is said to refer the Colossus of Rhodes, a sculpture of the Greek Titan Helios erected by the city of Rhodes to symbolise its victory over the Cyprus leader at the time.  The statue later collapsed after an earthquake struck and the poem is centered around the ruins. Helios is a personification of the sun god and here I have depicted him as a fetus in his mothers belly. I have transferred the broken sculptural quality to the female body but I still wanted her to be looming and powerful looking, like the mother of a God.

It is thought to be about Sylvia Plath’s father, his memory and legacy. The poem is rich with complicated imagery and a myriad of interpretations can be found. Here is my interpretation in the form of a painting :

Daily Painting, Painting a Day, Colussus, green oil painting, green, fetus painting, sun god, Helios, greek titan,Jessica Ballantyne, many breasted woman, female nude, surreal figure, abstracted body,  ,

 

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