On the Easel

Usually, in my paintings you won't see any ground. I prefer the sense of ambiguity that is created without placement and the largeness and heaviness of feel the use of sky alone alludes to. I am unsure about the "ground" but it works. I just have to figure out the imaginary lighting. I like the weird feel of the sky. What seems funny to me now is that the tamarin does not look like a real animal. He looks like something out of children's illustration. Yet, the reference photo I am using looks like this. Overall, it is evolving into something special. My light is gone, so time to step away from it.

Questions

These questions are for everyone. Not just those who are artists. I think these are important questions we all should ask ourselves.

From a personal level, what is the ultimate goal of your work? Or why do you do whay you do?

What is the one thing that holds you back? What is that proverbial thorn in your side?

When you are stuck what do you do to "start again" or move toward your work again?

Back on the Easel

This painting has been hanging around my studio for a long time. I have almost painted over it on numerous occasions when I was in immediate need of a canvas, but every time I look at it, I see something worthy of completion and I can't bring myself to let the image go. I sketched over it a bit today....I never liked the back on the body just sitting there....so, I thought about water....or snow....or a field of tall somethings the tamarin is immersed in. I think he looks afraid...or somehow hopeful and expectant. Maybe that look, an expectancy to be completed, stays my hand. So, the more I look at it, the more I see. Again, often the paintings tell me what they want to say or be.

On the Easel: The Landlord

A working title..... Yes, that is a hole in his forehead.

On the Easel...In progress

"Unikoi".....you get the picture...still some way to go on this one.

Fascinated for a lifetime with the myth of unicorns, their unfortunate watering down from a many-faceted animal to a cartoon horse with a spiral horn saddens me. In the world I have created there are unikoi. Clever, no?...

Bad coffee and Temperament

We lost our internet connection last Friday, so I currently sit in Panera with a weak cup of coffee catching up on emails. A tech is supposed to come out and make it right Tuesday.

I took the Keirsey temperament test this weekend. I take it about once a year when I feel like I need to have someone confirm that it is OK to be me. I go through periods of feeling like I am so, so unlike most of the folks around me (I realize this is common in artists.) Sometimes, I feel alright with that and sometimes I don't. At the moment, I feel I have been trying to squeeze myself into a way of being that goes against my natural grain. I have a very structured, focused mother who is logical and a fairly black and white thinker. My father, who I did not grow up with, is very much an artistic temperament untapped. All of these qualities are good, but I think being like them both by gene, yet being raised by my mom, I often feel I have to work hard for that right brain way of being. Had I been raised with them both, I probably would have a more balanced access to it all....like it is ok to BE an artist.
Even so, though I am an INFJ/P (J and P are always equal scores), I almost always come out fairly equally left and right brained on these tests...which if you think about it, may cause insanity in some folks. Hopefully, not in my case....although it can fee that way.

There is a side of me that kicks against structure, yet wants things to be structured, a part of me that hates schedules, yet feels the need to schedule......that sees things linearly, yet can see things from all angles....yep, so you see my dilemma.

My weak coffee is cold and I should pack up and go home to paint. Or maybe I can analyze this idea a little more.....

New Painting

What is this beautiful thing that came out of my mind?? Finally complete.....I can't keep my eyes off of it....