1) I keep noticing other artists in the 30-day challenge who are approaching their daily paintings more simply than I am. I notice that I am attracted to that simplicity again and again. I notice that I am not downshifting to simplicity. Hmm.
2) Further, I notice last night that I am trying to figure out how I might want to approach today's piece. I no sooner have that thought than I try to figure out what will happen after that, and after that. I try to figure out in advance what I can I do to make later work better. Hello??? Is this how I want to approach painting? It is not. I want to be responsive—in the moment, to what is in front of me.
Today in my studio, I
• take yesterday's 8x10" work in progress, cut it in half;
• cut a strip of an acrylic skin I made a few days ago (way fun!);
• use matte medium to affix it to today's 5x8.
Simplicity.
Tomorrow, I'll respond—in the moment, to what is in front of me. And take it somewhere new.
 |
| January 2017 30in30 Challenge, Day 10 5x8"; acrylic, ink, torn-tissue collage, and acrylic skin on canvas paper abstract 2017 work in progress |
12 comments:
I think what you're doing is normal, Dotty. I used to spend a great deal of time trying to process each painting in my mind before I painted it.
I think the mind likes to break the process down into neat little steps to take, but it's not that simple when you're actually there with paint brush in hand. I think it's more about being in the moment, like you say, then anything..but tell that to the mind. It likes to think it has control over everything. :)
Luckily, that thought process is something that goes away with time. It took me about 5 years to relax, and trust my future self to know what to do when the time came for the next painting. I don't think about the painting process at all anymore. Intuition has stepped in, and taken over. I think about anything, and everything except painting. Like, how am I going to get everything done in a day?? Yikes!! I better get to the studio!! :)
Its beautiful!!!
Thanks, Ophelia. Stay tuned. This piece will be cut in half and become two. After that, no more cuts!
You are sooooooooo brave Dotty!!! But I think that is your adventurous spirit coming through! You have a distinct separation with the black marks. What did you use to get those double strokes?
LOL. Control? Are you crazy? Ha Ha Laughing because I had the same problem today. I was thinking about the end, and not enjoying the process. I took a cue from your writing today. Had fun with that. See, I told you you are inspiring! A toast to tomorrow! Clink!
Hi Dotty, so nice to read about simplicity. It more or less sounds like that I again and again seem to like the details of a painting better than the whole. The shapes are simpler, the fields of colour larger. I like that too!
At the same time I can't deny that thinking and analyzing also has its place for me, at least until now. Maybe after time the thinking becomes so natural that it becomes part of the intuitivity...
Katie, I wrote you a reply yesterday but I'll be darned if I know where it disappeared to! Let's take this from the top.
Thanks for sharing your experience and insights. Happily, I am much less in my mind than when I began this painting gig in my life a couple of years ago. I am so grateful to painting for so often pulling me out of words into wordlessness and out of thinking into more direct sensory experiencing. Woo hoo to painting!
Thanks, Carol. The distinct separation with the black marks, as you may know, comes from cutting a strip of the acrylic film—fun to play with and investigate. The double strokes come from when the tip of the fabric paint bottle touches the page and slides over the paper, probably when there is less flow to fill in the space. In any case, all accidental en route.
Love the back and forth, Sheila, of drawing energy and encouragement and ideas and inspiration from each other.
Clink!
Simone, I'm appreciating your discussion. Happily, my own experience is that over time I am more intuitive and can see that intuition and knowledge more often partner up seamlessly and act as one. Yay!
Hi Dotty, glad you have some "skin" in the game:) Ha( I'm feeling rather witty today!) Actually, I love that idea. I will be very curious to see where this goes! So far, I'm seeing a cool landscape!
Loving your pun, Laurie!
TWO cool pieces comin' up : )
Post a Comment