Slogging through the Muck, and a new painting is born

This is a field sketch (6"x8" oil on canvas board) of the larger piece I am working on now. I love the rusted tin, the cracks in the walls, and the patina on the limestone. Good stuff. I used the sketch as a model for the larger piece, as far as proportions go, which I am not sure is always such a good idea... There were some discrepancies, which I found when I took the larger piece to work on location (hurray for the french easel!). Had to change the roof line and some others a bit. I prefer to work wet on wet, but things dry faster here than in Washington... I wasn't sure of what to think of today's work, but by the time I got back to the studio, I was feeling better about my progress. I'll post more pics later.



My mind has been a terrible mess for the past few weeks(take a look in the back of my car, and you will see what my noggin innerts looked like). But here is what I have gathered from looking back on similar experiences:

Chaos ensues just before I have a breakthrough of some sort.

Whether the breakthrough is personal or related to my work- it always has the same effect. (...but then, "personal" and "my work" kind of go hand-in-hand, don't they?) This happens often, it is cyclical. I happily paint for a while and then all of a sudden it feels like my creativity has dried up. I stew on it for a bit, until the ideas and methods begin to boil and the next thing I know I am sailing through another fresh season of painting bliss!

An example of the method in my madness: My paintings generally looks shoddy right up until the last few touches are placed. Especially the cloud paintings- they are this huge jumble of oddly shaped color masses, not quite connecting, certainly not related, and as the final brushstroke go down -BOOM! we have clouds.

I feel like I have been in a funk for a little while and I realized today that part of my problem was just not letting each painting be what it was going to be. I have had the most success with a painting when I sit back and watch it develop. No expectations. No forcing it to unfold before it is ready. That can be frustrating. Its like getting to know people. I find it difficult sometimes to step back and let things happen at their own pace. Sometimes both people and paintings have to be allowed to unfold at their own pace. The outcome can be uncertain, but more often than not well worth the wait (some of my friendships have taken over a decade to ripen, but oh how sweet they are! Love-em.). Egad! Imagine working on the same painting for a decade plus! Ccchhhkk! The thought is bitter in my throat.

Summing up! It is all about letting go of the outcome. All I can do is know what I want and let it happen. (Now if I can just remember that when I get into the studio tomorrow morning... I need fifty sticky notes and a sharpie- STAT!!!)

Oh! My ad is out in Fine Art Connoisseur for November and December- check it out! I love it. Lee, you might recognize the painting...

Studio space and a new painting- WIP

Ok, so I am having some trouble with blogger right now and it is not letting me upload any more photos. This is Soren playing at the window in the fabulous studio space so graciously given by my loving Auntie Vick and Uncle Jeff! It is wonderful! Loads of light, a window that I can open to let in the fresh air, and its ok if I poke holes in the walls to hang stuff from because someone else has already done it.

The space came with a welcoming committee- a tiny stripey-tailed gecko. He was so cute- I took a picture of him and would live to share it with you, but I can't... as I mentioned earlier.

Oh! Another wonderful thing about this space is that my cousin's business and my Aunt and Uncle's business are all in the same building so I get to see people I like more often! How wonderful is that?

This is what I am working on right now. I have to admit, I have been struggling with it. Panic. I've been feeling panic. I've been working from that odd place of "will they like this." That doesn't work. I keep second guessing myself with every brushstroke, and I know- I KNOW that if I would just relax and do it the way I would like it, the piece would paint itself. No stress. No fussing. No questioning myself. I feel like I have moved a little too far away from my intuition and need to ground myself again.

I took a break this afternoon and did a headstand to try to see the piece from a different angle... and just to see if I could still do it. It felt great (just in case any of you get into a similar situation and are looking for an outlet, or a fresh view point). Oddly enough, I think it helped a little with the grounding situation... Maybe it was all the blood rushing to my head.

I have been thoroughly distracted lately. Pleasantly so, but it leaves my head spinning and sometimes I wonder if I will ever find a routine again. This past week has been a bitter sweet return to some familiar daily activities, but with any luck, Saturday will bring back the tummy twisting excitement of my oh-so-enjoyable distraction.

Back to business, I made a lot of progress on this painting today and aim to post another pic tomorrow. I hope to finish it very soon... we shall see.

Have Step Ladder, Will Travel

Have Step Ladder, Will Travel
11" x 14"
oil on canvas

Well there it is. I am so happy I finished it today, now I can move on to the cloud paintings.
The lighting/color on this pic is way better than in the previous post.

Working (WIP), processing... processing

I am working on another French piece (dreaming on canvas) at the moment. I'll be finished with this one shortly, and will be starting my large cloud paintings and the first pieces for Whistle Pik. Did I tell you? I have been offered some wall space in the gallery of my dreams! They want much larger pieces than I have been making, so every time a painting sells, I am to replace it with a larger one. Yee-haw!!! I have so been wanting to work large!


So moving on to what I have been mulling over this morning...

I've been thinking about the transitional relationship between highlights and shadows, human behavior, and addiction. Odd combo, yes?

There is something of a warm shock in the shift between light and shadows. Its like those tantalizing wisps of electricity that pass between two people with great chemistry. Its a deep, sometimes clear heat that is obvious to the parties involved, but not as noticeable to indifferent onlookers. It is fleeting and delicate, but powerful. I think THAT transition between the shades can make a spectacular painting out of an OK one.

But its not just about the transition.
A good painting has the lure of beautiful form, clear and sound values, and luscious textures for that fabulous little spark of chemistry to turn it into something amazing.

Transitions are exciting. The problem arises when that lovely bit of chemistry is taken too far. In the excitement of noticing those wonderful little explosions of heat between cool and warm colors, it is easy to over emphasized that transition and lose the impact.

All things in moderation, right?

Aloof, baby. Aloof!

Or is it passion, baby, passion?

Every once in a while we artists sail through a piece, totally in The Zone, fascinated, in love with the process, and the finished piece is bathed in heavenly light as a chorus of angels sing its glory. Those times are fleeting, but so incredibly sensual that they keep us coming back for more. There is a secret hope that the next painting process will be magic. That hope is what keeps us working through the monotonous, "I've lost my muse" times.
Its an addiction.

Hello, my name is Sara and I am an addict.

Pacific Fog

Pacific Fog
6" x 8"
oil on canvas board

Years ago I recorded this scene in my Moleskine sketchbook. I had a very vague memory of the colors, so I used whatever I thought would look right.

Again, my main focus was brushwork. Practicing laying the paint down and leaving it.