Monday, April 30, 2018

Stalled and Unsure?

Stalled and unsure about what to do next? 

Poppy.1        6"x 6"   on cradled canvas $100
Have you felt this way? Sure you have and that's where I am right now. I'm stalled on a painting, this time an acrylic canvas that was going great guns until life interfered, resulting in a week away from the easel. Now I'm unsure about what to do next.

The story is a familiar one to most artists. I had a painting that simply wasn't ever going to make the grade so I began again by covering the whole thing with gesso except for the sky area which had potential. I grabbed an idea... red poppies... and took off running with brush and paint in hand, remembering a workshop with Jennifer Bowman where she demonstrated painting poppies modeled on dozens of varieties which grow in her backyard. My other poppy painting, In Flanders Field, has brought me great joy and I wanted to do another. 

I began by shaping some individual poppies on small cradled canvases. Those four turned out very well and onward I went.
Poppy.2       6" x 6" $100

This new iteration was well on its way when I was interrupted. Each day as I pass my easel I think about painting, working through ideas and hoping I can make time tomorrow or the next day, and that I'll know what to do. 

Poppy.3         6" x 6"   $100


Poppy.4          6" x 6"   $100

Just Do It

Nike has the solution... Just Do It, proclaimed on millions of tee shirts. Just begin. 

 When you're stalled or uncertain... just begin. Just Do It.

Pick up the brush. Dip it into the paint. Make a mark. Step back and look at what you've done. Repeat, repeat, repeat. There's something in the doing that propels one through the creative process.

I'm Building a Gallery 

Head over to DailyPaintWorks and sign up for daily emails. That's where I post my work along with hundreds of other artists. Click on any image that interests you for more details.  To get to my gallery click on the DPW link below.

Have a great week. I wish you joy.
Jo


1 comment:

I appreciate comments and questions.