Category Archives: summer,flowers

Art Accepted in Completely Color 2023 Exhibition

I am honored to be accepted into the Completely Color 2023 virtual exhibition presented by the Inter-Society Color Council. Their stated mission is to connect across disciplines to share knowledge and experience regarding the science, technology and aesthetics of color. The exhibition will be on view during their conference, Color Impact 2023, at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. Later this summer it will be on view on their website, with my work shown in the professional category.

My accepted work, Color Collage, is a digital collage of chrysanthemums in a split-complementary scheme that shifts color from yellow-green to red to purple in an almost rainbow-like manner. Complementary colors are across the color wheel from each other and bring out the intensity in the other. The conference requested a short video from entrants to explore their process. Here is my video, which is only one minute and thirty seconds long.

New Pastel Drawing on Website

art work accepted in completely color 2023 exhibition
© Betty Butler, Amber Pears, Pastel on Paper, 2023

I love the taste and especially the shape of fruit. Readily available, its sensuous curvy lines and strong hues make it an excellent subject for pastel work. As much as I appreciate this produce, these three pears took their toll on me and I almost gave up on this rendition. It turns out the first drawing was not engaging. So, in frustration, I started to compose the pears abstractly on a new sheet of paper and found what was missing. The free-hand abstract pears varied in size, shape, and angle. Therefore, I added some of those components to the first picture, intensified the color, and voila!

Work Included in Art Journal

art included in journal
© Betty Butler, Flowers for Ukraine, 12in. x 12in, Digital Painting, 2022

I am honored to be included in the Transformative Power of Art Journal, summer edition, 2022. Creators submitted work on the topic of “on war and peace.” This international forum reviews sharable media from written to visual to musical creations. With Flowers for Ukraine, I began by digitally painting the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag on my screen. From there, I overlaid the flag with loosely drawn flowers. Finally, I added various shades of red because even though I might hope that flowers would offer comfort, there is no escaping the bloodshed that results from warfare.

This journal adds to the ongoing scholarly conversation about forms of art as catalysts of transformation, whether experienced by witnessing a work by another artist, or by the process of creation, and often it is through the experience of these two in conjunction with each other where transformation occurs.

Amy M Anderson, PhD, MFA, MALS, Publisher, Transformative Power of Art Journal

Tuxedo Tulips

art included in journal
© Betty Butler, Tuxedo Tulips, 14in. x 12in, Digital Collage, 2022

This new work employs a more positive approach to using flowers as subject matter. The lighthearted title Tuxedo Tulips refers to the black and white digital line drawing, which contrasts a softer pink and purple photograph. Lastly, for added interest, I layered a halftone texture on some areas of the image.