Patchwork Crayons

Crayons have been a comforting subject that I have returned to time and time again for their nostalgia and joyful innocence.

BACKSTORY

This series actually began back in December of 2022 as I was completing a set of mini crayons on 3x5” blocks. Being able to hold these little blocks in my hands was a playful, tactile experience as I lined them all snug next to each other. I watched as a new, bigger painting formed out of the mini crayon collection as a whole. From there, the vision for the Patchwork Crayons Series had begun.

I often find that one painting is a stepping stone to the next, which is another reminder to trust each and every process because you never know where it may be leading you.

Pins that helped inspire some of the color palettes

PROCESS

As I embarked on this new variation of crayon paintings, I gathered inspiration and held onto the original vision that had been birthed into my mind. I’m sure many artists can relate - once an image has been brought to mind, it will haunt you until it is realized in a finished piece of art. And you will also notice all sorts of inspiration spurring you on towards that vision, if you’ll have the eyes to notice.

I started out with some more-complicated-than-I’d-like-to-admit math equations as I calculated how I wanted to divide up each painting into the proper amount of grids. I didn’t want the grids to be too small or too big, just the perfect size for a sweet crayon to live in. Then I just went crazy building blocks on blocks on blocks!

I started out very adamant on making no two colors the same, but I soon realized that I could put the same color next to different colors and it would appear like a different color, creating variation! This realization was particularly freeing when I stepped back and saw how many squares I had actually painted… 279 to be exact. So that meant 279 crayons were in my future.

Each square required multiple layers of paint before and after adding the crayon, requiring me to slow down the process. The final canvases capture the playfulness of the original mini crayon series, while expanding on an exploration of color that I have loved embarking on.