Well, kind of. The weekly painting groups I've joined are winding down, and I'm not renewing my spot for the Spring session because of a construction project at home, so I'm facing the perennial dilemma of paint-at-home artists: to paint or not to paint? It's always something: chores, errands, phone calls, etc. Then the day is gone and you tell yourself, Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll get to it. Of course that never happens! So, I'm pushing myself to do something -- anything -- to keep painting on a semi-frequent(ish) basis. Yesterday I put the finishing touches on a piece and cleaned it up for storing. I also vacuumed the corner of my basement that holds all of my supplies. Today I found myself with a spare 90 minutes midday and knew it was my best chance for time at the easel, I grabbed a photo from my computer and set to work on a quick sketch. It's a small thing, painted on a scrap of mat board that I prepped with clear gesso. I've done a few paintings on UArt lately, and this piece was a nice return to a familiar surface. It was quick work, and came together easily; that is, I was painting with an easy, relaxed hand. I'll let it sit a day or so before making final edits. In the meantime I am so glad I made the time to paint, however brief. |
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I am color challenged. The local color of my reference material usually provides a pretty cozy safety net for me. It wasn't all that long ago when the mere suggestion of offbeat color choices would set me into a panic. I feel myself growing, however, and color is one of those areas where I know need to push my boundaries and step outside me comfort zone.
Today I took that first step. Art being the community it is, this process didn't happen in a vacuum. First came the inspiration, in the form of Rita Kirkman's amazing animal paintings. Her use of color is nothing short of magical. Next came the support, which I received in abundance from my weekly painting group led by Donna Rossetti-Bailey. They all know I love painting animals, and they gave me a safe, encouraging setting to try a new technique and explore the unknown. Some progress shots: |
aboutI have been pastel painting since 2012. You can read more about my background and my work here. archives
August 2019
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