I’m still working on the commission mentioned earlier and with family illness I haven’t had much time to paint, but am optimistic things will turn. In the meantime, I am sharing another ‘December’ painting.
This little painting has been good for me and it was hard to let it go when sold. It not only represented a significant time in my personal life but jurors loved it –even won first place in a regional public gallery exhibition.
December, Remains of the Dayoil on canvas
11x14in, 2010
SOLD
I had been working all day on a larger studio painting and just killing it –getting very frustrated—so I opened the door to get some air and again, on the fly, looked out and there it was. I never moved so quickly as to when I wheeled my painting table over and strapped that canvas onto the easel..am wondering if I could generate the same energy (of the painting, not me!) on a much larger scale…
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Often a break from the painting can be a good thing, as it refreshes us and we bring something new to our work on our return. I tried having a break this week yet found myself actually working more than usual and decided to embrace my more abstract works! Anyway I hope to hear that you are painting again soon, are you missing it?
ReplyDeleteI can see why your December painting won a prize it really is something and hard to imagine it being a small work it has that big energy feel about it that begs to be inside a large canvas just so it can move around! However until we see a painting in reality it can be hard to imagine what it will look like in a small size format. You are an emotive painter and how you discribe throwing open the door of you studio and letting the air in and how it changed your work simply says it all about how emotive painters work. I work in the same way and call myself and emotive painter music helps me and will help my work to 'move and come alive'. Thanks for sharing your painting with us, it is a very powerful piece of work and I can see why you are sad it has gone. I don't myself like to try and repeat a painting but if it works for you maybe you could try it again and see what will begin to grow to great life on your canvas. Get those paints out Jan!
I just watched the old movie, "Lust for Life" about the life of Vincent Van Gogh. Great old movie stars like Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn in it. It's filled with images of Van Gogh's work. And your little piece of December reminds me of Van Gogh! It's moody and has a lot of energy. Amazing that it's so small, because it has a huge presence!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's good to kill a painting now and again. Out of the experience can arise something new, something born out of the death of the last painting.
Thanks Catherine--i HAVE been painting, but just not for myself--having said that i did put my 'all' into the commission and can't believe how emotionally drained i am from doing so...and it was a small painting! Comissions always do that to me --and after all that time and energy i sent her the jpeg and she asked me to make changes--i've never done this before but i was so clear on what she wanted going in, and had put so much into it that I stood my ground , told her how disapointed i was because i had put so much into the work to please her--i offered her the deposit back rather than make the changes as it would be like doing another painting! Sometimes the money is just not worth it, and i knew i could sell it to someone who would appreciate it. She immediately got back to me and told me how beutiful it was and all is good!
ReplyDeleteThank you for calling me an 'emotive' painter--I like that!
Katherine isn't that such a good movie????? Better I think than the recent one about Van Gogh and his brother..
And what a compliment--I think I respond to Van Gogh's sense of continues movement/life/regeneration/rejuvination in the landscape-'of life'--hence my enthusiasm re your self portrait landscape
That is interesting reading about your commission experience, good for you for standing up for what you felt to be right for you. I don't do commissions anymore as it they are very draining and often clients are hard to please as your tale tells us. I am so glad she saw how beautiful the painting is and that all is now well.
ReplyDeleteVery powerful painting - I love your brushstrokes and use of color!
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