I never had a profound like for abstract art. For me, it was either photographs or paintings and inanimate objects and positive affirmations that I added to a gallery wall. As my style and trends evolve, I notice how so many things come back in style that I want to try. I used to see abstract art on my mother's clothes in the 80s and 90s, abstract paintings with neon colors and textured paint. Everything seems to come back around at some point and we're always destined to change in some form or another.
I've seen family and friends try this DIY abstract art and I always wanted to try, but never had a need for it in my decor. When we moved into our new rental home, we were stuck with a very small bedroom that had a huge electrical box on the wall. An unsightly thing that of course we can't change and is there for a good reason. I figured this would be the perfect time to try it because the 2x4 foot dimensions required a large frame and I did not want to buy something just for the sake of covering it up.
I cut a piece of 1/4 inch plywood 22x44 inches and covered it with an old sheet I used as a drop cloth. I then mixed spackle, different color paints, wood glue and water and just brushed on different stroke to achieve the look I wanted using a spackle knife. I was able to get the texture I wanted and it felt extremely therapeutic to not follow a plan and just be free and creative. I felt like I was back in my classroom exploring paints and different mediums with my students. Recently post partum has come back for me or maybe it was the Full Moon in Virgo; but this project helped to center me in a way that felt fresh and new. Leaving old things behind that no longer served me and manifesting things I want for my life and my little family was the focus this past week.
Being a stay at home mom and trying to be present every minute, while being torn between doing things that make me feel like myself again is tugging at my heart. Making sure each day that I am able to do one thing that makes me feel accomplished is extremely important for me and my mental health.
After my therapy session with spackle was dry, I used my new miter shears to cut the wood trim I used to frame the art piece. I had to caulk the seams since my cuts weren't perfect and then filled the corners with wood filler before rub n buffing the frame antique gold. It fit perfectly over the electrical box and now we have something pretty to look at that I made with my own two hands. It makes me feel so good to create a home we love. It really is furnished by the heart.