Discovering the joy of art
I’ve always enjoyed reading artists’ mission statements, and I’ve often wished I could put together a clear, concise, definitive statement of who I am as an artist. Of course, at this stage, it’s not possible. I’m still exploring, still learning, and still growing.
This particular scene was going to have a river running through it. As you know, I’m not good at rivers. And just as happened with my earlier attempt, a river doesn’t run through this painting either.
While I understand the blending technique and managed to create a three-dimensional sphere, I certainly haven’t yet mastered staying within the lines. As a result, my little sphere is a bit lopsided.
When I first got the inspiration to paint this mountain, I really thought I was out of my mind. Me? Paint the Matterhorn? But I grabbed a canvas panel, picked up a piece of charcoal, and began blocking in the shapes.
It’s not much. Another simple mountain scene, this one done on an 8 x 10 canvas panel. What’s special about this one — to me — is that I finally painted mountains that I like.
Looking at my attempts to paint trees and leaves made me think back to photographs and digital art I had done in the past. Today I’d like to share two of my “fall favorites”
Yesterday, I challenged myself to create another woodland scene — and to do it in a small-scale format. It was the first time I’ve tried painting on a 5 x 7 inch panel, and it was a challenge, indeed.
Granny got out her Grumbacher watercolors, her Sakura “Koi” watercolor set, lots of paintbrushes, and big sheets of watercolor paper.
When I was first introduced to gesture drawing last year, it made no sense to me at all. What could possibly be gained from quickly scribbling down lines that only remotely resembled a human being?
May this holiday season be filled with love and joy!
When my friend, Kymber recently posted pictures of her snow-covered yard in Clarkston, Michigan, I immediately asked permission to paint them. I only wish I could have done them justice.
Friedrich wanted to capture elements of the sublime, that moment of “connection” that often happens when we contemplate the natural world, that inexpressible feeling of our own spiritual being, our awareness that we are but a part of something greater than our insignificant selves.
I think I could paint sheep. White, fluffy sheep. Painting them might be much like painting clouds only with heads and legs and tails, right? In my mind, I can see a flock of sheep down there in that corner
I do feel it’s important for me to keep painting, even when my heart might not be in it. I still need practice, and even though I might start off uninspired, I know inspiration is most apt to come while I’m at my easel, not away from it.
I started mentally listing all the mistakes I had made in this painting, and even though I considered grabbing my trusty rag and wiping it all away, I just wasn’t up to it. I’d been working on this painting for several days, and emotionally I didn’t want to see all that effort literally “wiped out”.
…I like the pathway I created. It’s not exactly a road, but it does lead somewhere, and for me, that’s a triumph of sorts.
I think, at this point, it goes without saying that I’ve figured out what medium I most enjoy. While I still like charcoal and graphite, oil painting has become my favorite form of artistic expression.
It’s always good to know our weaknesses, and as an artist, I know mine only too well
Being “an artist” involves much more than learning how to apply a medium to a support/surface. It requires a certain sort of vision, an ability to use one’s imagination, and a creative spirit.
As I worked at my easel, the painting really didn’t know what it wanted to be. At one point, it was turning into a seascape. At another time, it was just a hillside with mountains behind it
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