Friday, November 16, 2012

In the Window


























I paint everyday but not posting it all. I've learned so much from 
observation, but find myself obstinately wanting to over-ride what 
I observe in order to be more creative. My head is filled with so many 
possibilities of what a painting can be it's hard to see what's best to do 
at any given moment. The great thing is that I've become observant of 
everything around me—even when I'm not painting—people, things, 
the way the light falls—it's mesmerizing. 

When I'm painting, I try to be faithful and get it all down and end up 
with "right" but dull so I've changed my routine. I now start a few 
small paintings and a few larger ones so I always have something in 
some state of becoming so I'm not compulsive or desperate to finish 
anything. I'm no longer faced with having "completed" something then 
faced with the blankness of starting something new. My studio is too 
small to keep a lot of set-ups so once I get the bones down, the set-up 
goes down (or it dies or rots). And then I feel free to rely on memory or 
imagination or whatever the surface asks to be. I have 4 or 5 surfaces 
in the wings, so if I reach an impasse on one or lose focus, I can switch, 
hopefully applying something I've learned to another. It's oblique, like 
coming to a solution sideways, and so non-direct, but it aligns with the 
way my brain works. I still have frustrating days but think: so what? 
I'd rather spend my day doing this than anything else.

9 comments:

Linda Popple said...

I've been really struggling lately (lots of wipe outs!) and your idea of keeping a few paintings going might be a good answer for me. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks!

I love the blues in your painting and the scissors are beautifully painted. I always like your loose brush work. This is a good inspiration post! :)

carol morgan carmichael said...

The colors and light in this are gorgeous! Love the turquoise and orange!

juliefordoliver.blogspot.com said...

Beautiful painting. Love the colors and the strong scissors against fragile flowers.
I find when it all becomes a struggle it is the start of a new advancement stage in my painting, but can be frustrating and scary going through it. I always have half finished paintings of all sizes around me and use them to experiment and warm-up on. I find more and more I finish a painting from my imagination and...believe it or not, logic.

Jane said...

Lorraine, this composition is awesome, and I really love the colors and all the dots and life you put into the windowframe, great work. I would rather paint than doing anything else, too :-))

Rubén Opazo said...

Es interesante lo que explica de la forma como trabaja. En algunos aspectos creí estar escuchando mi propia voz. Creo que es muy importante educar la mirada, aprender a ver todas las cosas de una forma "artística", la incidencia de la luz en los objetos, como se degrada el color cuando encuentra la sombra. Pero por sobretodo, captar esa esencia tan fugitiva que parece vivir en todo. Siempre estoy trabajando en dos o tres obras, así, cuando se cansa la mirada, dirijo mi energía a otra cosa, mientras regresa la visión perdida. Lo importante es no caer en la rutina, eso mata el arte. Me gustó leer algunas de sus reflexiones, así puede apreciar mejor su arte.
Un saludo cordial.

Anne Winthrop Cordin said...

I relate to your comments about observation, everything is grist for the mill! Also about having it "right"but somehow lacking. What a journey we're on.

hmuxo said...

This is a wonderful painting, Lorraine! Love it! The scissors makes it perfect!!.. Your post is so interesting...I usually work on two paintings at a time..Usually, I have a pastel and an oil on the table. I, as well am so observant to everything and everyone around me..however, someday I'll probably get a black eye because of it!! LOL

weekend et coup de brosse said...

Une peinture réaliste pleine de vie en même temps, et même si c'est une 'nature morte' tu y apportes toujours de la lumière et ces fleurs en sont la preuve dans les reflets d'orange, j'aime beaucoup!
cath.

Virginia Floyd said...

This is gorgeous--so full of light! I love the composition with the simplicity and straight lines of the window. I'd probably have been trying to paint the outside view, too! And I love how you pulled the colors of the windowsill into other parts of the painting. Likewise, the colors of the flowers. Just beautiful!

Thanks for stopping buy and asking about me, Lorraine. I've painted very little this year. My other life just seems to get in the way. By the time I'm done for the day, I don't seem to make the time to paint. I hope to get started again soon, tho. Hugs!