Dreamy Dusk, 2008, Oil on Panel, 18x24The last few days have been filled with ups and downs. On Tuesday night, I was happy. I had a number of pieces that were off to a great start. They were all looking good and the world was all bright and sunny. I felt like the coolest girl painter ever at the middle school orientation (my older daughter starts next fall-holy cow!) and it's true that my ego was bursting a bit when a friend of ours was joking about how he and his wife see my work everywhere they go; NYC, Williamstown, Tahiti. Oops, just kidding about Tahiti. Anyway, after working on Wednesday and realizing that one large piece was definitely crappy, and a few of the others looked pretty questionable, I went to bed feeling like I should give up painting and just go get a real job, you know the kind where every day is exactly the same. I couldn't begin to imagine how I could make any of the questionable pieces work. But this evening, after spending a few hours today mucking around in the studio, I am feeling good again. I saved the ones that had been on the fence and I don't mind saying that they actually turned out to be pretty dang good! Still have a 36x36 panel to sand down, but THAT'S nothing new. So I will go to bed tonight feeling like I really am a painter after all.
Sheesh. Wonder what tomorrow will bring?
11 comments:
I just had to laugh at your up and down moods, but in the end you just kept painting...no matter how you were feeling.
Your work is gorgeous and touches my love of color.
Paint on!!
Rats1 I wanted to be the first to send best wishes. I was in the studio early this morning, flailing and failing along. Then I saw some great work on the walls. Ahhh - art!
This one today is fantastic. Simple, but not so simple. And, hard to get right, like you did.
It's disheartening to realize you still feel that way when you're successful! LOL.
I feel like that all the time. Up, then down. I was hoping I would get over eventually. Apparently not.
Drats.
The painting here is interesting. Are you turning into Mark Rothko?
GOLLY GOSH!! I got such a shock dropping by ... I realised that you have made over 80 posts since I was last here. Sounds impossible!
Can't read all the posts to catch up but certainly have looked at all your posted paintings. Just love your still-lifes, and its good to see you doing figures. And these last 3 paintings are really beautiful ... this one is particularly intriguing!! Great atmosphere.
You have been so busy in all aspects of your art and life, I feel quite ashamed of myself! xx
I'm not certain that it works mind you, but lately, when people ask how I've been, I've been trying to say: "Oh you know, we all have our down and ups" instead of the inherently negative "up and downs".
Oh and Chris is right, turn this painting 90 degrees and you have crossed a threshold.
I think if you always knew what you were going to do and how it was going to turn out, well, then , what you have there is one of those regular jobs where every day is the same. Which is exactly what you want to avoid.
I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who has suc big mood swings with my painting - Nate says he doesn't want to be anywhere near me when I've had a bad day painting!!!
This painting reminds me of the eastern plains of Colorado with the mountains in the distance. I'm sure that's not what you intended, but it's the first thing I saw when I opened your blog and saw the picture!
Sorry folks, clearly I haven't been keeping up here very well!
Hi Cindy, yeah, it's that crazy discipline thing I have going. It takes a lot for me to really bail out on something and totally give up. But I do have to remind myself often that I can probably fix things if I were to try....
Casey, Thanks for the compliment about this piece, I was reluctant to put it up because it's one of those that didn't photograph well at all. The color is SO much better in person.
Laura, I know just what you mean-I still think that someday,when I am successful (that's all relative don't you think:)) that everything will go more smoothly. I guess it won't, but it's nice to daydream, huh?!
Chris, yes I am trying to turn into Rothko (love his name and mine in the same sentence), but I suspect that I will be a much more lighthearted and shallow version of him:)
Hi Lesly! So good to hear from you-I was wondering where you had gotten off to! I met a woman from New Zealand at an artist's residency in Feb and even asked her if she knew you by chance! Really, I did! (She didn't.) Anyway, I have been busy and i am sure you have too. I am trying to pursue other imagery a bit, but the landscapes and my show schedule keep getting in the way of that.
And don't worry about keeping up-I haven't been doing so well on that front either!
Steven, hmmm. I guess "Ups and Downs" is negative, although I have never really thought of it that way. Not sure if saying the other way will help or if it will just get me a few odd looks:)
Oh and thanks for the comment about the painting. I have been toying with much simpler compositions, and focusing more on color, if that's even possible:)
Barbara, Ha! You are right. Gotta enjoy a bit of unpredictability to be an artist I think.
Stacey, yes, good to know it's not just me either. I assumed it was when I wrote this post! And no, I didn't think about Colorado with the painting, but I sure was thinking of those vivid blue hills in the distance-the ones that surround us almost completely.
(Tracy--as for excellent, I felt it was a burden too: do I do 10, one or ignore it? Do whatever ou like)
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