New Beginnings are Wonderful!
Two Plein air that need just a touch to finish.
Creativitosis: What is it?
A virus, a fever, a fervor. That thing when you can’t sleep because creative ideas keep popping into your head. That thing when you can’t sleep because you HAVE to go to the Studio and paint, or paste, or carve, or whatever it is the fever calls you to do. Last night, I was in the Studio until 3:30 working on 4 different pieces. A watercolor, and 3 mixed media pieces.
Nocturnal Creations
I love nocturnes. I purchase them as well as paint them. I have one by Randy Pitts, Debbie Cusick, Cynthia Csalovszki (actually maybe two), Hall Groat II, and several of my own. Our FCPAP (First Coast Plein Air Painters) scheduled a paint out for last night. It was so much fun. The weather was beautiful, the location (San Marco, in Jacksonville Fl) had tons of paintings waiting to be plucked from it and the energy of the area was fabulous. I didn’t finish my piece but will go back to do so next week some time. It is always great to paint with this varied group. There were 5 of us there. I was the only one doing watercolor last night. Admittedly, I had little faith in myself, but was determined to enjoy myself regardless of a success or failure at the end. I think this freed me and helped me relax into the task.
All Revisions are not Improvements
I think these three revisions are improvements but have to see them side by side. Plus, although they may be improved, they may not be quite what they should be yet.
Movement
I loved this post. Perhaps because i feel the same about both the ocean and painting, but also because it has given me things to investigate and discover.
I love how art never fails to move me in many different directions. As I study different art styles and learn about art techniques and methods, my pathway often leads me away from visual arts to other forms of creative expression.
Today, I discovered the author, Christopher Paolini. His name and his works were unfamiliar to me. I think I’ll check him out at our local library. What led me to Paolini was a search for quotes about the sea — my current focus in oil painting.
Here’s is my most recent seascape. I’ve titled it The Sea in Motion because that was the effect I wanted to capture, insofar as I was able.
Here is the quote I found:
“The sea is emotion incarnate. It loves, hates, and weeps. It defies all attempts to capture it with words and rejects all shackles. No matter what you say…
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Satisfaction Guaranteed
I don’t think any one was disappointed with the workshop today, even if they may Not have been completely happy with some of their work (like me). Anna is so good at pin pointing what improvements could be made. It’s a shame I can’t show any of the successes in a show. Here are my creations for the day. The first 3 are small (8×10) exercises in depicting emotion, the next is a large canvas piece (can you locals guess what it is?), and the last one is a 12×16. Many will guess that it is ocean but it is actually a glacier. It along, with a couple of the smalls needs some work. See others work here.
“Peace” “Anticipation” “Rage (3)”
Excitement Grows
I’ve spent the day looking through various photo albums on my iPad in preparation for a workshop tomorrow. It has made me so so so excited about “Immersion in Abstract Painting” by Anna Miller at the Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra. She suggested for us to gather names of abstract artist whom whose work we enjoy and to bring examples. For me this starts at JW Turner, then to some Bahaus members like Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, as well as Odilon Redona, Dali and Frantisek Kupka. After that many from the 1950s-80s. Sonia Delaunay, Richard Diebenkorn, Arther Dove, Hans Hoffman, David Hockney, Judy Chicago, Georgia O’keefe, Richard Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko. As for current artists… sadly I have a gap in my knowledge from the 90s – now. I do love Joan Fullerton, Nancy Eckels, and Carole Frye and others whose work I have pinned, but whose names I have not retained.
I have taken a workshop from Anna before and she is an excellent teacher. My ability with abstracts was much improved after it. I look forward to expanding and further honing those skills in this workshop.
When is something Complete?
I’ve collaborated on various art projects with members of the Art Guild of Orange Park. However, my favorite collaborations have been with my now 2 1/2 year old grandson. In this one he did a base of watercolor and then I put some pastels on top. At first I wasn’t impressed with it, but it grew on me. I like it as is but am thinking of making it even more mixed media. Some of you remember me saying in the past that I have to be careful when doing mixed media not to go overboard and add too much. I’m thinking some type and then some acrylics to help the collage bits to blend in. What say you? Leave it as is? Or give it more oomph?
Technical Difficulties
I believe in myself enough to think that I have some pretty fantastic and wonderful ideas for art pieces. However, I often fail in the execution (especially for assemblages) for various reasons. I’m having difficulties with proportions in this piece. I’ve looked up the average size of each animal, but am still a bit unsure. The wolf’s average length is 4.5 – 5 feet, a Beluga’s average is 9 feet, an the Snow Owl is 20-28 inches. This Beluga is only showing about a third of it’s body. Is it the right size? Too big? Too small?
