The gardening projects wane – not that I accomplished
everything on my projects list. This year I took a detour from developing new
gardens and finishing last year’s paint job on the porch and deck. I like what
I accomplished, but I feel I’ve done enough for this year. (At least for now.)
The pastel painting muse has returned (maybe with help from all the rain
lately), and I’ve been spending time in the studio.
I finished a pastel painting I’d started in March and one I
started in June. Every time at the easel is a learning experience and I go from
feeling guilty I’ve not “trained” like other artists to being strong in my
conviction to do it my way.
It’s not only about the painting but the adventure and
discovery. I find it interesting how I might read or hear something a few
times, then one day that same comment or tip flashes the light bulb on. Ha, ha,
I finally get it!
Maybe it’s because I have to be mentally ready to hear the
message. Maybe it’s about repetition finally sinking in. Suddenly the need to
paint ignites and I am at it again.
Does that mean it goes easy? No. There is always something
to learn, some aspect to experience. I go from the excitement of doing a new piece,
to not-liking how it’s going, to feeling discouraged and self-doubting my
abilities.
This is why I have multiple easels and paintings in various stages
of progress. When I get too frustrated with one, I can work on one of the
others. I eventually get back to the one giving me grief and I tackle it with a
fresh set of eyes.
So, I finished the two and they are ready to go to the
framer. I cleaned up both areas and set new BFK Rives paper on the two easels.
I looked through my photos I put aside as possible paintings. The one of a sand-dune
was calling, but the more I looked at it, the more I felt the composition wasn’t
right. Now what?
The photo was from an area I’d visited before – a spot where
my mum had spent her early childhood and where her ashes were released. What if
I looked back through previous photos? Maybe there would be something I could put
with this sand-dune to make a more complete composition.
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| Preliminary layout of "Between the Dunes" working with two photos. |
I researched dozens of photos and during a visit in 2016, I
had taken a photo of the scene right next to that dune. Wow, how amazing is
that! I can “stitch,” or rather, tape, the two photos together to make a
beautiful scene. The horizons don’t quite line up as my position wasn’t the
same in taking the two photos, but I can make it all work for the painting.
Also, in that same series of photos, I came across four more
photos that I can stitch together to make two more wonderful paintings. I
printed the photos and made notes. Then I chose two scenes, went in the studio,
and soon had the preliminary drawing/layout done in charcoal for two new
paintings. I am so excited!
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