I’ve been working on a larger format painting for the last 2 months. actually, longer! It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do more of for a while now, go big! Suffice it to say it is really challenging. The work is already challenging to get to with everything else on my plate and now, a big one! So much work to do on it. So, small chunks get done little by little and I find it very hard to start something else while it stares at me- undone. I also feel the pressure of having not posted a thing since Plein-airpril which is a yearly challenge I try to do. Check out the group Warrior Painters to find out more by the way.
Painting every day in April was exhilarating, and fast and exhausting but I loved it. Very quick, grab an idea run with it, execute it, paint like mad. Post on Instagram, talk to the world, hey this is what I thought about today! What a rush to transmit your thoughts and feelings about the world because God knows words just don’t do justice. And symbolism within each picture can do so much more! But now we have a LARGE work, and it all slowwwwsss waaaay dooown. It’s nice changing from fast fast fast!!! To now a slower more meditative pace. But even getting to it is slower and more intentional, I’m not reacting I’m planning, not rushing to it but scheduling time to work on it. Telling my daughter “Hey – mom’s painting this weekend so don’t even tempt me to go to the beach!” Even the painting looks like I’ve slowed down, part of the challenge here to keep that movement and life even though we’re going at a much slower pace. Bouguereau visits and says let’s put every mark we can on there to describe that hand, that hair and that neckline. Let’s fall in love with every curve and every nuance of shape line texture. No no no!!! I love you but I don’t want to be you Bouguereau!!! Leave …NOW. Let’s bring in Sargent, come to visit Sorolla and yes Van Gogh you too!!! Yes let’s paint with authority and vigor!!! Let’s remember to have every stroke be beautiful!! We are going for an impression and abstraction of form while being able to recognize that this is a magical being in a magical environment because the nature of human beings and the world they live in does have magic and I want to show you how I see it.
Rosina, 1878, depicting Rosina Ferrar
And so it goes I’ve been working on another larger painting and it has been CHALLENGING!!! Why have I included hands! And arms for God’s sake… Well I am learning and what on earth are we doing here if we are not learning and growing. So, in case you wanted to know what the heck I am doing this is it.
We were on a visit to one of our favorite nature haunts and on a mission to create something ethereal and beautiful, and what better model than my daughter. She knows just how to look deeper and she is not self conscious when we are talking artful things and expressions and what I am trying to capture! I can’t help it I love painting her, she is my muse.
Happy you are here! Keep on painting!
Vickie
