I am Back/ Artist Block

Here is a work in progress. I am calling it The Last Parking Spot. An oil 48x36. Long way to go.

I am back> I want to talk about artistic blocks. I have been avoiding my art studio quite completely since the early fall. I did venture into it before Christmas as I had a small commission that needed to get done but really I stayed away.

I don't think many artists really want to admit that they are suffering a block, or experiencing a prolonged period of procrastination. But I am willing to state that is exactly what I have been facing.

I could give you a million excuses. I have some idea what happened but all I know is that it did. I can honestly say I felt that I had run out of ideas and that I had forgotten how to push paint. I had lost the ability to judge my own work and was relying too much on the outside world. Prior to this happening I was trying to paint daily and also do a lot of plein air.  I suffer from perfectionism and seeing paintings that were less than my standard, childish and amateurish hit me hard. Another thing ,I wasn't creating things that sung to me and that was soul zapping.

Have you ever felt like you were pushing too hard against the universe? I did and it seemed to push back, so I needed to stop pushing.

I don't want you to think that I sat around for months watching the TV and eating candy. I always need to be creating, and in that space of time have sewn alot and have established myself, in a small way, as a sewing instructor and custom clothier. This is a passion I wish to continue.

So what has brought me back? Well the tremendous support of the Victoria Chapter of the FCA. By seeing their artwork and experiencing the friendship I was inspired to create. Another thing that happened was a friend of my daughter, who upon returning from a 4 month vacation asked to see what was on my easel. With embarassment I realized it was the same painting I was starting just as she left and I had not gone any further with it. Thank you Gina.

I cannot guarantee that I will paint everyday, I do have a budding sewing business you know, but I am no longer scared to walk down the hallway and turn right into my art studio.  I am going to let the universe guide (God to me and others who feel the same) me and see what happens.

Well it time to clean my brushes for the night.

Cheers

Coffee and Email

Today the Victoria Sketch Club went to Fernwood to paint. So much detail it was hard to choose a scene. The doorway of this cafe intrigued me. When I set up there was another man sitting in the opposite chair. He left just as I started then this man sat down. But he soon left. I had him blocked in but most of him is from memory. Oh the joys of en plein air. After I came home I touched up some highlights.  My daughter saw it and said it was Fernwood so I guess I sorta got the idea.

Way to The Barracks

Day 5
I had quite a typical lazy Yellowpoint day. Then in the afternoon I was discussing art and "teaching" with a yellowpoint buddy and this is the little study I did in about 30 minutes.

Many Changing Lights

Day 4 I painted the same car but from a different angle. I stood in the trees and was lunch for mosqitoes. The light kept changing so did my painting.

Headlamp Web

On day 3 of our vacation I painted this painting. It is of an old Ford sedan car. What stories could it tell? hmmm.

Moss Top Jalopy

My husband Glen and I are at our annual Yellowpoint Summer vacation. While here I decided I would paint everyday. The first day did not produce great results, will be painted over.
On Day 2 I painted Moss Top Jalopy and sold it to one of the yellowpoint gang. Yippy!

Lily Pond

Lily Pond

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

Okay so the post will say it is the 25th of July but I finished this small painting just before midnight on the 24th. I spent today helping Lisa make some dust curtains for Langham Court Theatre. Feeling guilty that I have not been painting small paintings daily and on a day that my ability as an artist is in question, I put paint to board at 10:00 pm. I quickly chose a picture of the lily pond at Government House and put out some acrylic paints. I could have gone crazy on the lily pads but tried to keep it fairly simple. I could see me doing this image larger. Goodnight.