Orange on the Left, 2008, Oil on Panel, 16x16In a moment of complete and utter optimism in myself as well as the passage of time, I agreed to participate in a group show. Gallery 100 in Saratoga Springs wants six paintings for a show and would also like a few new ones for their inventory. Um, by April 7, the 8th at the latest. When I agreed to this LAST THURSDAY, I had about four or five pieces on hand and several more in progress. The gallery director also said that maybe one or two large scale pieces would be great, especially since the large ones have been selling well for me lately. Great. At that time, I had exactly zero finished large scale paintings on hand. Luckily though, I did have three prepared large panels and three hours before I had to pick up the kids. So I got down to business and managed to do an underpainting on each panel. (I had to start them that day so that they would be ready to glaze after we got back from our weekend in the city.)
Monday I worked on the ones that were in progress and yesterday I began the color glazes on the large scale pieces. Two of them are really working, but I am not so sure about the third one. I am going to bail on it for now, in order to focus on the ones that are working at this point. I have to finish up the big ones, plus four or five medium sized pieces by tomorrow at the latest so that I can paint the cradles, photograph them, and do the paperwork before delivering them on Monday. So even though things are hectic, this was exactly what I needed to back on track. The pressure of doing a lot of painting, fast, really helps my work.
There are benefits to not having time to think.
5 comments:
LOVE this piece, Tracy! Great composition, and the colors play beautifully off each other.
Can't wait to see what you come up with in person at Gallery 100!
You wrote:
"There are benefits to not having time to think."
I was thinking about this very thing today. Recently, I have had the unusual opportunity to have lots of free time. Ironically, I am getting less done. Ordinarily, I am freaking out trying to fit everything into each day. I have found that the saying "If you want something done, have a busy person do it!" is a truth. I am more productive when I am too busy! :-)
Sheree
Hi Takeyce, thanks so much (and I apologize for not responding to your recent, very kind email) and I hope you will come to the opening so we can meet in person!
Sheree, Isn't it crazy that that is how it works? One has to be crazy busy to get anything good done-go figure. I definitely need the pressure, even if it is tiring:)
I'll definitely be at the opening!
Beautiful piece, Tracy. What is up with that -- is it a personality trait or is it artists in general? I too need deadlines before I can really produce in a focused way.
I get butterflies just thinking about getting ready for a show while timing the drying of oils! Oh my.
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