Story, Always Unfolding
A little over two weeks ago I started painting a 12 x 36″ canvas. Then I got way busy and sick and low in energy; lost my forward motion and spirit. Began to feel a bit daunted by the new painting. What to do?
Here’s what unfolded this week.
Artist Lola Jovan and I met online 10 years ago and have followed each other’s blogs ever since. At the end of each month, Lola’s dog Wonder Mike draws a name from a hat to select a recipient for a Reader Giveaway. I was a double winner in February—both because I was selected and because Wonder Mike knows me well enough to know that I would be way happy to receive three 5 x 7″ panels on which Lola had painted some abstract studies in the past that I am now invited to use as fodder for my own explorations.
Fabulous call, Wonder Mike!
Suddenly, I know just what I want to do—I want to use my windfall of pre-painted panels as part of the creative process I started with the 12 x 36″ canvas.
I grab one of the Lola panels painted in oils and immediately cover it with the rhubarb interior cabinet/door/trim paint I’ve also used as the underpainting on my canvas. I scribble a quick sketch with a Posca pen to guide my exploration, select a limited palette of acrylics, begin mixing colors, immerse myself in trying this and that, and … looky this!
5 x 7″; oil, latex, and acrylic on extra fine titanium oil-primed linen on panel
seascape
2025
I forgot to photograph Lola’s abstract study before diving in, but you can get a feel for it by seeing it below with its rhubarb underpainting in place. Lola’s impasto base gave me a high degree of texture that put limits on my ‘control’—perfect! Many gifts in that!
10 responses to “Story, Always Unfolding”
You just never know how things will unfold and what “win” might spark forward motion.
What a wonderful gift this was from Lola and Wonder Mike and what a beautiful painting you have created. I have seen this view so often on the rocky coast of Maine that you captured so perfectly!
And…I love the little bits of rhubarb!
We just never know. Those words could be my blog post every day!
Thanks for seeing the view I created conjuring the rocky coast of Maine, and thanks for your kind words. Now, next time you see such a scene as you stand along the actual rocky coast of Maine, you’ll notice the little bits of rhubarb red in the rocks! I knew you’d be spying for them in this painting, and you can imagine my instant grin when you commented on them : )
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What a miraculous landscape-y abstract!
Sheila, thank you! I’ve been out of town for two days, now hope to get back into my studio to play more with this idea : )
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