When it’s Done, It’s Done

Judith,

Obviously I’ve been going through a lot of intense emotions. My feelings are still very mixed when it comes to art. Time and again I find myself thinking about coming to the studio and getting out my oil paints and canvases, but then I think about the time and effort — and the mess — it would involve, and I decide that maybe I don’t really want to do it. 

I have played around a little with watercolor while doing a few Sketchbook Revival projects. I haven’t been jumping in and going through all of the workshops, but I have watched a few videos. One, from Helen Wells involved creating random shapes and then coloring them. In some respects it was a bit like the neurographic art I did last year, but in other respects it was different. 

Her process involves scribbling — one thing I am good at — and super-imposing one set of scribbles over another. It does lead to some interesting shapes. 

I followed along, started color with watercolor brush pens, but then found myself getting a little bored with it all. I put the brush pens aside and just colored a bit with watercolor and brush, and again I found myself quickly getting bored. 

At that point, I could “see” a bird lurking there, and even though I have lots of unfinished lines all over the page, I decided that I was finished. That’s one of those questions we’re always asking, you know. When is a drawing or painting done? Well, I have the answer. It’s done when it’s done. Or more to the point, when I’m done, it’s done. 

Here is my incomplete but finished “bird in the bush”.

It was fun — for a while. But my patience gave out, I had other things to do, and once I “saw” the bird nesting there, I knew I could call in done, set it aside, and get on with my day.

Helen Wells does have a free class on “Interesting Shapes“. I’ve signed up, and one of these days I’ll get around to doing it! For now, though, yep, I’m done. 

 

11 Comments

  2. I love that bird! I’ve been finding that when the idea of getting out paints feels like more work than I can handle, my colored pencils are just the thing. I’ve been sketching cards to send to family, so it gives extra motivation and a feeling of having done something kind.

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    1. For me, it’s watercolors. I keep them out on my desk along with a jar of water and a jar of brushes. When I feel the urge to “do something” with art, I can grab them and make a few blobs.

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    1. That’s always reminded me of something I heard as a child — that quilters always made one mistake in their work because “a perfect quilt would be an affront to God”. I had a cherished quilt a much-loved great aunt had made, and it did have a small imperfection. I always wondered if that was intentional or if it was an actual mistake. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate imperfection. My husband has taken up sewing — he makes feeding bibs for our special needs grandson plus bibs and little purses for our great-grandbabies. He always frets over little mistakes. Every time I point out that those mistakes show that the items were made with love.

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