Thursday, April 26, 2018

Winds of Change

Sometimes the idea of following an emerging painting wherever it leads is just that: an idea. A thought in my head that makes sense but nonetheless remains no more than an idea, a mental concept vs. a physical action.

But sometimes I let go of directing where a painting will go and actually give myself over to following wherever it takes me.

In fact.

In practice.

Right in front of my eyes.

With the current patch in my bigger Core Values work-in-progress, I was all over the place. I went in with a starting idea and put paint on my blank canvas accordingly—paint that didn't land or look the way I thought it might.

But I liked it, so I followed it for awhile and got a new idea. Put paint in place in accordance with that idea and, of course, it also went other than where I intended.

Back and forth it went: I took the lead, then followed, took the lead, then followed.

Eventually I pretty much let go of bringing ideas to the painting and instead let the winds of change blow me along. I became so thoroughly curious, so entertained, so participatory.

This painting and I went from the iterations posted yesterday,

to here,



then here,



next here,



and finally here:

newest patch
new patch in the bigger picture;
working title: Core Values

Look at these breathtaking close-ups:

detail
detail


8 comments:

carol edan said...

Breathtaking, the whole series! Loved the third on in, soft greens and pinks. You are so courageous in your painting. Keep thinking this is where I would stop! Wish some of that would miraculously rub off on me. Love the light almost invisible lines! Didn't see them in the patch at first, saw them in the details...then went back to the patch and they showed themselves! Again thanks for the progression.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Carol, thank you for your comments/feedback. I have to work pretty darned hard to rally the courage to find my way through many a day of painting.

You say that as you look at one iteration or another of one of my progressions you find yourself thinking, 'This is where I would stop.' I have the same thought over and over again. I loved the one with the soft greens and pinks, too, but it felt unfinished.

Glad you picked up on the light lines. They turned out to be very satisfying—there but not in-your-face there.

Lola (Jen Jovan) said...

Those twisted texts poking through! I love this game of tag you played with the painting...and then giving yourself up to the play without a care for who was in the lead. Glorious. You are an art poet!

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Jen, I'm liking YOUR art poetry, the haiku version of my longer-than-a-sonnnet, to wit:

playing tag with paint,
giving myself to the game—
no care to the lead

YES!

Thank you.

Sheila said...

I LOVE where you ended up. Where your intrepid fortitude lead you. Both details are mini masterpieces. The patch as a whole is welcoming and friendly. And it fits right in with the others :)

dotty seiter: now playing said...

I love where I ended up, too! Such a happy surprise. God bless that 'intrepid fortitude' that sometimes blesses me.

Janet Bradish said...

Just like everyone else I am glad you kept going and where you stopped. Those faint pencil lines for me are that little extra that rewards me (the viewer) for taking time for that closer look. As does the texture and bits of text - lovely piece.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thank you, Janet. I was so grateful this wayward-while-in-process piece find its way to very satisfying resolution, and I'm grateful that others are liking it also! Fun for me is your pointing out the faint pencil lines, texture, and bits of text that are precisely what sing for me here, too.

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