One purpose for my life in blog-dom is to help keep me honest. Therefore, I must admit I have been delaying this post for almost 5 days. Despite my good intentions, preparation with small study sketching and color planning, I have not quite been able to make this painting work. There are parts that I really enjoy (some reds luscious and well placed, others flat lacking harmony with the other colors in the painting), and I am finding myself working and reworking the pedals on the forward flower. I almost never do this. Usually, if a painting isn't working, I just quit, shelf it and move on. A painting will pull together easily, or it won't. That's it, no fussing. A watercolor "fussed" over will almost always look overworked. Though I am facing a deadline, struggling to complete enough paintings to exhibit, and have committed so much time and energy into this large painting, I am taking a break from it (at least for now hoping to return with a little courage and clarity). This declaration feels liberating and now I am free to move on to a little more control and predictability....pastel (and hopefully one more painting for the show at Bistro Bethem in August).
Monday, July 20, 2009
One for the shelf
One purpose for my life in blog-dom is to help keep me honest. Therefore, I must admit I have been delaying this post for almost 5 days. Despite my good intentions, preparation with small study sketching and color planning, I have not quite been able to make this painting work. There are parts that I really enjoy (some reds luscious and well placed, others flat lacking harmony with the other colors in the painting), and I am finding myself working and reworking the pedals on the forward flower. I almost never do this. Usually, if a painting isn't working, I just quit, shelf it and move on. A painting will pull together easily, or it won't. That's it, no fussing. A watercolor "fussed" over will almost always look overworked. Though I am facing a deadline, struggling to complete enough paintings to exhibit, and have committed so much time and energy into this large painting, I am taking a break from it (at least for now hoping to return with a little courage and clarity). This declaration feels liberating and now I am free to move on to a little more control and predictability....pastel (and hopefully one more painting for the show at Bistro Bethem in August).
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5 comments:
Honestly, Ariel, I don't see what you mean. I think setting it aside is a good idea. I hope you'll like it better when you come back to it. I like it!
I can't wait to see your show!
Thank you Elizabeth. I am sure seeing with fresh eyes will make a difference. Sometimes I just need a break from a painting.
I am enjoying it, Ariel. It is a different style for you with more of a Deco or 50s feel, even. I think it's odd to you, because you usually don't work with such large expanses of (virtually) single colors.
For myself, I find that I don't have to love each of my paintings. There's always someone out there who will and I then respond, "You do?" when they say they like it!
I agree with elizabeth!! Perhaps the white is too white in the forward flower- other than that I think that you just need a break from it.
I am very intrigued by the paining in the next post, so I am off to comment there!!
See you soon!
Hugs!
Elizabeth
She's like a grand old dame, singing the morning in after a long night. I love her and her children.
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