Course Corrections

One of the benefits of posting my progress is that I get to see it from a different perspective. After my last post I realized how off some of my lines were. This image may not seem much different from the last one, but it represents a significant amount of time reworking several areas and correcting several mistakes. I'd like to think I'm beyond such basic errors, but I'm not. The eye can truly deceive, especially when it comes to lines and linear perspective. And my eyes did deceive me. It makes me wonder how often my eyes deceive me in the ordinary acts of life on an ordinary day. How many decisions do I make because I saw something wrong? How much time do I waste because I don't see what I'm looking for when it's right in front me? And how many times have relationships struggled because I saw things based on my preconceived notions rather than on the reality in front of me. Oh, to have eyes to see... 

The good news is, that we can correct our course. Every day we get a chance to rise again and start fresh, with new eyes, as we take on another day of accomplishing tasks, fulfilling responsibilities, growing relationships, and making memories. I am truly grateful for the opportunities I have for course corrections in my life.

Applying with the Palette Knife

I chose this image to illustrate something simple but effective. When there is a lot of canvas to cover, getting the paint worked into the fibers of the canvas can be tedious and even difficult. I have discovered that using a palette knife to cover large areas of canvas works well. It covers the area quickly, pushes the paint into the fibers, and makes it easy to spread it to the remaining areas with much less effort. 

Fanning the Flames

This is my first attempt at painting fire. It's a very interesting subject in so many ways. I love sitting in front of a fire and watching the flames. I think of all the verbs associated with fire... flames can flicker, dance, and soar; they can lick, waver, and leap; they can even glimmer, glint and flare. Fires mesmerize me. Fire can heal, and it can kill. It is beautiful, and yet can create horror. It is an element, a tool, and an art. It is basic and complex. It is if nothing else, fascinating. 

For years now I've contemplated painting flames. How do you capture so much movement and still allow it to feel like movement? I took umpteen photographs and studied how the camera captured the flames. I looked at the colors, the shapes, the hard and soft lines, and all of the angles. And finally, finally, I took a big breath and simply started to paint. 

The Barber Is In

I have been very hesitant to add the hair. For some reason I was thinking I needed to save it for a finishing touch. Today, however, it was driving me crazy not to have it, so I added it. And Ta-Da! He suddenly started to look like himself. It was a real turning point. I seldom approach a painting the exact same way. And when I try to force myself into a certain order or way of doing it, I end up stuck. Today was a reminder that I need to listen to my inner artist and allow myself the freedom to create and find whatever is ready to come forth. Fighting the inner self is always a losing battle.

Step Away From the Canvas

I've been feeling a bit guilty that I haven't gotten to easel as much as I wanted this past week. But yesterday as I sat looking at this painting and the very poor reference from which I have to work, I began to notice some significant things that I had missed before. I thought I had them right, but I've been away from the canvas long enough now to begin to see the forest instead of just the trees. It's pretty impossible for me to paint without getting my nose right up there in what I'm doing. But this was a good reminder that it's just as important to not only step back from the canvas at times, but to completely step away from it, leave it alone, let my eyes forget what they've been seeing, so that they can actually see more clearly again. I find this true in relationships as well. Sometimes we get so caught in believing that a person one way that we stop seeing that they are many ways and many things. It's too easy to see people as one dimensional. I want so much for others to understand me and yet sometimes I'm the one who needs to step away from the canvas of our relationship and allow myself to see them more fully, as a whole person, and even through their eyes. When things just don't seem to be going right, step away... 

Background - Take II

While I really did like the background originally, it just didn't feel right for the figure. So I'm going in a completely different direction. While wet paint makes for good layering and blending, it doesn't work so well for starting completely over. So I'll have to wait for this to dry and then do another layer on top of it. But already I feel like this is the better direction to go. I remember one time I was traveling with my extended family and were caravanning in two or three cars. Our car got off track and they called to see if we were okay and if we were headed in the right direction. I said, "We are now!" Even though we were no longer on the same road as they were, we had corrected our course. Often I feel overly bad because I've gotten of course in a painting, or in life. But life is all about making those course corrections. We can never go back to where we were before. But because of them we learn, get back on track, and are all the wiser for it.