Every once in a while I draw a blank when attempting to conceptualize a new work. In the instance of the painting below, I started the piece the morning after sending up a desperate Divine petition to restore my creative juju after a severe draught (months of crappy paintings).
That was (if I remember correctly), twelve+ years ago. And that night, while I slumbered, I got enough suggested material for not one, but two pieces.
Twelve years ago I was pretty enthusiastic about the ideas that came to me while sleeping....or shall I say were placed in my head (?). But since then, I've really developed as an artist, gotten cozy with new mediums and learned how to layer color to get the depth I desired. My work from twelve years ago looks a little inexperienced compared to now. But, I couldn't give up on this piece entirely and thought it should have a chance to hang again (with some sprucing up).
My work rarely turns out as initially intended, but sometimes that's better. After all, they are just ideas until Something magically turns them into something else during the studio process. I realize this may sounds cheesy, but I can't explain it any other way. Art often happens on it's own, the artist simply being the medium rather than the mediums actually being the medium.
Anyhow, today I took the piece below from my "old work" closet in my studio and decided to rework it, maybe improve upon it, and perhaps in the process, bring it up to speed with my other recent work, particularly abstracts.
If you've never tried abstract painting, I'd like to challenge you to pick up and paint and brush and give it a try. I'm not trying to make it sound harder than it is, but the fact is, it's definitely harder than it looks.
I have to confess that I find abstracts harder than creating representational art. You have to be a confident paint slinger to do abstract art because it's so darn subjective. There are no true parameters other than avoiding the ultimate unforgivable curse that comes when one copies/mimics the original work/style of another. Taking ownership of someone else's creativity is indeed, deplorable. It's the only real no-no for artists.
Below is what I finished up today of "And Then I Woke Up, #1" I would like to finish it this week, but that is unlikely as my favorite mixing white is out of stock everywhere (!) and it won't be delivered for a week. So frustrating. But, that will give me a chance to work on another piece that I have started downstairs in the studio...stay tuned...
A close up of some wet, swishy paint...
I have no idea what this is but I like it.
I know what you're thinking...That the best part of this photo is my gorgeous pooch on the couch in the background...and you are right. But, I think this piece will surely be worth hanging when I'm done (please excuse my dishes!).
I have another, much more representational little nugget to share with you today as well. Our little guy (who just finished up KG) asked me to paint, "the house upon the sand". It's a little song that starts out, "The wise man built his house upon the rock....."
Anyhow, for some reason, our little guy is consumed with the house upon the sand, despite the fact that is went "splat" when the rains came down and the floods came up. Maybe because a house in the sand seems idyllic this time of year. This week, he asked me to paint him one, so here's the house upon the sand:
Our son likes paintings that actually look like something so this one's for him.
Thank you for spending some of your Sunday with me.