Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Q&Q Cut-Up #3

A quotation caught my eye at the library today, something 'prodigiously talented and successful musician' Leonard Bernstein evidently once said:

To achieve great things, two things are needed: 
a plan and not quite enough time.

My plan is to show up every day in my studio … and I never have quite enough time.

Perfect!

Way, way, way back on September 22, I started scribbling on a piece of 16x20" unstretched canvas with a PaperMate pencil, a grease pencil, pastel pencils, and a graphite crayon.


Working a few minutes at a time over the course of many of the days between then and now, I eventually cut the work in progress into eight pieces, one of which became the 'starting' point—so to speak—of today's completed painting.




Sleeping in the Room with the Drying Herbs
4x5"; pencil, pastel pencil, ink, and acrylic on unstretched canvas
abstract
2017


I love the softnesses and breathing space in this piece.

7 comments:

carol edan said...

Pebbles in th beach. Love the breathing space and colors! Thanks for the quote has a lot of meaning for me as well!

Simone said...

Hi Dotty, I love it when free floating pieces finally reach their destination. Love the negative space.

And: how is working on raw canvas for you? Did you mount it on something? I have meters and meters of canvas here, that scream for attention, which they have never got.

I'm curious!

Lola (Jen Jovan) said...

softness and breathing space...yes! This is a stunning little piece!! And the quote. It resonates. Somehow the press of time pushes us to work a little harder, more focused, take more risks. Less time to overthink things.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Pebbles on an expanse of sand … ahhhhhh … thanks for sharing that image, Carol. Glad the quotation resonated : )

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Doesn't the negative space feel wonderful?

Working on canvas has been fun. I like to change substrates periodically, to enjoy their various features. The canvas brings its own texture, and I've felt open to seeing where that leads. I do eventually mount the canvas on either somewhat stiff manila card stock for postcards or on MDF to 'frame' paintings. I've been using a clear glaze fixative of late, and that probably helps to keep edges from fraying. Keep me posted.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Softness and breathing space, so vital.

Today, working on a new piece, 'trying to do too much' has served me well in taking risks, being intuitive/impulsive, and more focused.

Thanks for your comments!

Simone said...

I am going to try it, it looks really good! Every surface has its own charm and I love to get to know everything... Have a lovely day, Dotty!

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