Art-o-mat Series Update: May 2019

I'm cranking out some new Mini Masterpieces for Art-o-mat, and these pieces have a new and improved look.


My entire set of 50 delivered yesterday to Worldwide Art-o-mat Headquarters includes 100% Matisse elements.  In the past, I painted subject matter on mini canvases or on wood blocks.


But then I decided it would be cool to paint modern art on organic, touchable wood rounds.  All of these above are painted on either oak or cedar wood.


The Formula

Each of my Art-o-mat pieces has the following:
  • 2 layers of gesso,
  • multiple layers of Liquitex heavy body acrylic paint,
  • Posca acrylic paint markers,
  • 1 coat of spray gloss sealant,
  • 1 coat of glossy liquid sealant,
  • a jute string for hanging,
  • my signature and date on the back,
  • flannel fabric gift-wrapped with
  • embroidery floss tie,
  • an insert regarding the art history behind the painting, and
  • my business card.

About Matisse


 Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954) was a French sculptor, printmaker, and painter.  Many art lovers are drawn to his brightly colored, cheerful compositions.  In the last years of his life he created the “Cut Outs.” Often these images evoked organic life and memories of tropical destinations.  Another favorite subject was fruit in a still life painting. Matisse recreated bright lemons, oranges, pineapples or other fruit with vivid brushwork and fanciful color.  In this Art-o-mat package, I have focused on an element from Matisse’s paintings in his style. You can learn more about Matisse here on my blog.


Bonus Sidenote

Matisse enjoyed marine life, and I always think of coral designs when I paint his cut-out subjects.  However, this time it struck me after painting that the coral looked like sea dragons.  The sea dragons in the La Jolla, California, aquarium have enchanted audiences.  To learn more about them, check out this story.



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