I have been quiet on the blog recently. I have been struggling to paint. Well some days struggling to get out of bed. It all seemed so pointless. Paintings! Objects that don't do anything but clutter up living spaces. They don't make noise or move. Flat dull and lifeless - me and the paintings. And then. And then I tried to quash that judgmental talk that rattles constantly in my head. I'm sure I'm not alone with this. Never enough. I went back to basics to sort myself out. more on that to come...
This painting is still far from complete but something has begun. The figure stirs in the primordial mud.
I began with Flora Bowley. Her wonderful book 'Brave Intuitive Painting' loosened me up. Her web page is crammed full of inspiration.
Then I joined not one but TWO local art groups. Just in perfect time for.....the summer break.
They got me connecting with my neglected supplies and socialising. Oh that felt good! Scary too. it is many moons since I made art in public.
i was thrown back on my own resources. The Universe has a definite agenda here....
I set up a work space to experiment with a small (6x6ins) canvas. Doable. Not intimidating.
I had painted the rook. It's in a previous post. I was encouraged. Then tried a dog. I just couldn't get it to work. he's squinting at you here.
This painting is still far from complete but something has begun. The figure stirs in the primordial mud.
I began with Flora Bowley. Her wonderful book 'Brave Intuitive Painting' loosened me up. Her web page is crammed full of inspiration.
Then I joined not one but TWO local art groups. Just in perfect time for.....the summer break.
They got me connecting with my neglected supplies and socialising. Oh that felt good! Scary too. it is many moons since I made art in public.
i was thrown back on my own resources. The Universe has a definite agenda here....
I set up a work space to experiment with a small (6x6ins) canvas. Doable. Not intimidating.
I had painted the rook. It's in a previous post. I was encouraged. Then tried a dog. I just couldn't get it to work. he's squinting at you here.
It was after a long pause and many turns into blind alleys that I found myself at the first art group. One I first joined in 1978. I was a committee member then deputy secretary to Suzanne Forth on and off through the eighties and nineties until taking the reins in 1995. But family demands took over and I detoured into the magical realms of the art therapy world.
Anyway. I grabbed supplies and painted the sparrow. The opportunity to enjoy demonstrations was lovely but I was questioning everything. WTF?
I challenged myself in the second group. Lots of drawing. Then I found the image of the woman from Chile. I enjoyed pushing myself to connect with her and play in the shadows of her hat.
And then. Oh BAD painting. What a vital step in the whole saga.
I return often to Carol Marine's book 'Daily Painting'. Inspired I set up the studio.
Anyway. I grabbed supplies and painted the sparrow. The opportunity to enjoy demonstrations was lovely but I was questioning everything. WTF?
I challenged myself in the second group. Lots of drawing. Then I found the image of the woman from Chile. I enjoyed pushing myself to connect with her and play in the shadows of her hat.
And then. Oh BAD painting. What a vital step in the whole saga.
I return often to Carol Marine's book 'Daily Painting'. Inspired I set up the studio.
a castrated courgette. More struggle. I played with fresh produce even my very own home grown courgettes.
Oh my. Disaster. I have a squint. Using a viewfinder drove me crazy. After days all I had was a headache and a painting so bad that it now makes me laugh. My castrated courgette.
Oh my. Disaster. I have a squint. Using a viewfinder drove me crazy. After days all I had was a headache and a painting so bad that it now makes me laugh. My castrated courgette.
There were tomatoes in the painting at first but they wouldn't play nice. I was going to try more but there were dishes to wash and shirts to iron. For days. And days.
Then up popped Gwenn Seemel.
WOW!
Her site is great. Her blog is amazing and her TED talk with matching video compulsory viewing.
I felt as if she had given me permission to paint.
So yesterday I played with a calf. He didn't fit on the canvas and I kept going anyway because I was having fun. i stopped because I had to go out. Yes I was late...but more content than for a long time.
I feel as if a door has cracked open. It's a new beginning.
Then up popped Gwenn Seemel.
WOW!
Her site is great. Her blog is amazing and her TED talk with matching video compulsory viewing.
I felt as if she had given me permission to paint.
So yesterday I played with a calf. He didn't fit on the canvas and I kept going anyway because I was having fun. i stopped because I had to go out. Yes I was late...but more content than for a long time.
I feel as if a door has cracked open. It's a new beginning.
Not a great reproduction but hopefully you will get the idea.
I'm off to play.
I'm off to play.
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