Commissions

This painting, "Quintessence" was finished yesterday after a few weeks of stressful work trying to get it right.  The request was for a painting similar to one that had previously sold, only in pinks and yellows.  The last time I completed a commission piece was many years ago when I was working in watercolours and in a realistic manner.  Mixed media and acrylic in a non-representational style is another story.

This was quite the challenge for me. In trying to mix pinks, I was arriving at bubble-gum colours which made me very unhappy.  On the third attempt, I decided to work on 2 canvases at the same time and in colours that I like. The result was a 'letting go' of expectations and working on 2 at once was a very liberating experience too.  I was able to paint in my usual intuitive manner and the painting progressed quickly to my satisfaction and the second one is also coming along nicely.

I was very nervous when emailing the photo of my finished piece to the gallery where the commission was requested. The last thing I wanted to hear was that it was not acceptable to the gallery or client. I was prepared for,  and hoping for,  only minor tweaks  before varnishing and delivering.

To my delight, the gallery and clients were very pleased and all that was requested was for me to give it a name!

New experiences, though stressful, are such a thrill when there is a positive outcome! I have learned a lot about working on commissions and myself as well.  All that I needed to do was trust my instincts and inner voice and paint like I always do. In worrying every step of the way about whether the client would like this or that I put a muzzle on myself stifling my creativity totally.

Lesson learned!  Now to finish the second one for myself!

Productive Painting Time

                                         
                                           "Mind Games"

Summer weather is still here - the garden is calling to me BUT so is painting!  This 12" x 12" x 1.5" painting came together rather quickly for a change.  It is a relief to get a little one that I like in the middle of struggling with a large canvas - 36" x 48" x 1.5" and 3 works on paper to go with it.

The large one and companions are beginning to take shape and my mind is in the right place to tackle that big project.  My paintings are intuitive and emotional and a fairly clear head is needed to work out the puzzle that this kind of painting is!

A little diversion is sometimes needed - this painting was diversion #1 and a thorough house cleaning today was diversion #2.

Tomorrow it is Onward with the Brushes!!!!

A New Direction

I have been working away for many months on combining collage pieces that I am creating with random marks and lines with even more intuitive painting done with scrapers, pouring, spraying and finger painting.

The resulting works are, to me, very expressive and loose.  These are done from the heart and both fun and scary at the same time.

Exhibiting them will be a whole other thing too as they are quite different from my creations of the last few years.

I am happiest when learning new things and stretching myself in new directions and that is the main reason why I paint in the first place.

It's the putting them out there in the open for other people to judge that is the part of this art-making that I am not particularly fond of.

I know most artists share this feeling - that's just the way the cookie crumbles!

Alone Together

Because I work alone at home in a rural setting, it can get lonely and uninspiring, especially during an exceptionally long and cold winter. 

I recently joined a Thursday morning group of 6 people and this is what I produced on the first day.  I am very happy with the results of combining collage and paint in a very loose and gestural manner.  I've even got some great blues and blue-greens that come close to a robin's egg blue, one of my favourite colours!

The square one is 12" x 12" x 1.5" and I think a black float frame will jazz it up. The series of 4 will be framed in black frames with a white mat.

 After a winter of being frustrated and non-productive it is wonderful to be creating again!!

Happy Days

My goal has been reached this week!  Two new pieces have been finished which makes me very happy!

It feels very uplifting to have peaceful, creative time and get rid of that 'artist's block' anxiety that was wearing me down. Being able to create something from that relaxed, happy place of being in your own head and letting whatever is in there  come forth onto the canvas in it's own way is such a fun experience.

Starting another one right now!

Frustration

Today has been a very challenging day spent with my pile of scraps and handmade collage papers.  Trying to make a design out of  randomly ripped up pieces of paper is not an easy task and has proven to be a frustrating one this time.

As I chose my main colours and started out it seemed important to leave white spaces with pathways to the edges.  Now that I am almost at the boiling point trying to make that work my focus is about to change.

I was making decisions too soon and not leaving enough options open.  Tomorrow the white spaces will be obliterated - no biggie.

The decision making with this style of 'painting' has to be loose, tightening up only near the finish.  I was rushing these ones.

Maybe it was the music choice - mostly U2!  Tomorrow I will make a calmer choice and see what happens!!

Time to go for a walk and think about supper!

New Blog Name

I have decided that my blog needed a more relevant name - From Here to There (And Back Again) only has meaning to me personally. In attempting to sign up with Feedburner I took their advice on having a name that actually relates more to the content of the blog - it's a bit boring but all I could come up with today.

We have been inundated with skunks and racoons in the last few weeks digging up the lawn while searching for tasty grubs. My dog has been sprayed and I have been busy putting sod back in place almost every day. The installation of an underground sprinkler system, a new furnace, repairs to a deck, building of a BBQ shed has meant many extra people hovering around each day which does nothing to spark my creativity, hence, no new prints, which really ticks me off!

I am going to try, once again, today to run at least one, if I can get a few hours to myself. It's duct cleaning day - more workmen in the house. I'm getting very anxious! Please, please, please let me get in "the zone"! I should have called this entry "Crabby, Anxious Artist"!