Monday, September 25, 2006

Day 6 and 7












I didn't get as much done this weekend as I had hoped. I had to go to my daughter's soccer game Saturday morning and after that thriller it took me awhile to get motivated to even get into the studio, let alone accomplish anything. I tidied up a bit (aka procrastinated) and then gessoed seven panels for the next batch of paintings. Three of them are really large, one 24x36 and two sized 30x30, and Doug and I had to clear some wall space in his work room so that I could hang them while they dry. I hope to finish up a few of last week's pieces tomorrow and then I will have more room on the picture rails in my studio again.

I am starting to realize that even when I really should, I hardly ever get out the paints and brushes and Liquin and really paint on the weekends. I do other things like prepare for the coming week by doing under paintings or putting hangers on or painting the cradled edges. Actually unless I am in a really busy mode, I don't usually even do any work on the weekends, preferring to leave those days for the family, or my other favorite thing-catching up on the housework and laundry. heh.

So on Sunday, I again totally procrastinated and spent some time on the computer. Doug was kind enough to take the kids away so I could work and I didn't even get started for two hours after they left. But I did finally buckle down and managed to do three large barn underpaintings. I had planned to do a few more (to get a start on the Carrie Haddad Gallery show in November) but I realized that I really would have nowhere to put them. So they'll have to wait a few days too, until I finish up some of the others. Anyway, I am taking a great risk by only preparing eight barn paintings, which is exactly how many I need for the show in NH. I can usually count on ruining one or two, or more sometimes, in each batch of paintings.

That's me, livin' on the edge.

7 comments:

tlwest said...

If You ruin any of them do you throw them out or paint over? I find it hard to believe that they would be runied!-- LOL Prob just not up to your standards!

June Parrish Cookson said...

Your working environment sounds like mind. Too little space. I'm busy working on eleven paintings right now and losing table space to place them all. Have some on the floor but don't like that because my two cats are always rubbing up agaist them. Although they're acrylic they remain pretty wet due to the layers of glazing and I have to set each one aside and start on the next. Definitely need to hang some shelving on the walls a.s.a.p. Another easel would be nice but finances are dire right now. Maybe in the future.

Wouldn't it be great if you could build a barn on your property and have it as your studio?

Tracy Helgeson said...

Terri, Generally I sand down the bad ones and reuse the panel. And believe me, I do plenty of paintings that don't work!

Hi June, Shelving or picture rails sounds like a good solution for you. My cats make all kinds of trouble for me too and I have to create some very odd set-ups to keep them away.

We do have a barn, but it needs a lot of work. I also have a plan to rebuild our garage as a studio but either option would require that I sell at least 7000 paintings:-)

Kris Shanks said...

Tracy, from your description it sounds like you cradle your paintings after they're completed - how do you do that? I'm contemplating doing something like that for my panels so I won't have to buy as many frames.

And I definately sympathize with the dilemma of a studio that's too small!

Tracy Helgeson said...

Kris, I buy panels that are already cradled. They are made by Ampersand and I buy them usually from Dick Blick or ASW Express.

I am starting to use them almost exclusively. It is really nice not to have to stock and finish frames. The drawback is that the surface has no protection which makes them difficult to store.

Anonymous said...

Here I am again, trying to remember someone else's quote, I'll botch it like this: "80% of painting is spent 10 feet away". It took me years to get comfortable with the value of the puttering process. Sometimes it is absolutely essential to flip through a magazine while in the studio.

Tracy Helgeson said...

I have heard that too Steve, and good thing because I am the queen of puttering. In fact I justify my computer time as puttering, which will surely add to the quality of my work, right?