Abby Leon, Paradigm Gallery Director
Our very own FWMoA Children’s Education Associate, Miranda Dyson is our featured artist in this round of Let’s Talk SHOP! Miranda shines in several mediums. Her latest creative focus has been a series of acrylic paintings with a unifying message of hope overlayed onto bright colors and organic forms. As an art educator, she loves to share the creative process while making it accessible to engage with and understand. So please enjoy reading this post where Miranda combines her talents, education and art, to share more on her abstractions displayed in the Paradigm Gallery!
MD: I love the creative process as much as I enjoy the product. Watching artists patiently refine elements of a work until completion has always been fascinating to me, and inspires my own creations. As an art teacher, I would emphasize the importance of patience when introducing a new material or technique to my students, encouraging them to give their art a chance to develop over time.
I play with several mediums, including paint, linocut printmaking, ceramics, and my overall favorite—installation art! The throughlines in my works are organic forms, bright colors, and often an underlying concept. Usually, my art is accomplished with great attention to detail, and pieces have taken weeks to over a year to complete. It’s been fun experimenting with something new that feels a little more spontaneous and free flowing.
My mini paintings on display in the Paradigm Gallery started as an endeavor to give small, handmade Christmas presents to friends and family. I made a mid-scale acrylic painting on paper and sliced it into pieces about the size of business cards. Shortly after, while talking with a coworker about mini artwork, she introduced me to something I had accidentally created—ACEOs (Artist Cards Editions and Originals), a new-to-me form of art that’s having a resurgence in popularity. These art pieces, at 2 inches by 3 inches, are perfect for collectors with limited space, and who find enjoyment in miniatures!
To start, I take masking tape and create a grid on top of a paper drawing pad. The tape I use is semi-transparent, so I can see through to the lines I drew underneath to keep everything level. I like to keep a white boarder around the edge of each piece, so I plan accordingly. This tape conveniently has measuring lines that are useful for this step.
Using puddy knives, sponges, brushes, and washcloths, I add acrylic paint in layers across the surface. I like pulling the paint layers to be thin enough to see through from one to another. Sometimes I make a repeated pattern like this, other times it’s more random.
Next, I take a thick paint pen and write a phrase that’s meaningful to me on top. I’ve included phrases like, “Toward Hope”, “Forgive Again”, and “Moving Forward”. The example shown is from my “Slow Growth” series, an acknowledgement that progress takes time.
When the tape grid is removed, I’m left with the guiding lines that show me where to cut to maintain a boarder. This is my favorite part, when you start to see the abstract paintings as individual pieces. It feels like a puzzle when I can look at a piece in my hand and try to see where it fits into the overall image.
Once they’re cut, signed, and sealed, these original paintings are ready for the shop! I love that these pieces celebrate color, movement, and uplifting messages all in a little package. I hope that people who purchase them find one that matches their favorite color palette or a saying that resonates with them.
To purchase your own original painting ($15) by Miranda, visit the Paradigm Gallery at FWMoA!