The way it goes.

I spent this afternoon in the shredded painting in the photo. By the time I was done I had turned a neat drawing into an unshaven androgynous weightlifter. So I tore it up. Man, was that satisfying. Now I like it again because parts of it was sheer genius. Okay, so I exaggerate, but i did like the hand and other parts were alright, it just didn't go together. There wasn't enough information on the original drawing.

Perhaps I should transfer the drawing to the painting surface but I still live by the dream that I can paint from my drawings. Some how I got the idea that the greats did their paintings that way.

Catching up.

I'm back. I had a big week last week. I hung my painting in Allied Arts of Whatcom's 2011 Juried Artist Series last week and attended the artist's reception on Friday. Allied Arts has the showing artist give a talk about their art which is good practice. It felt like mine went well enough. People had questions and someone told me that they found it interesting. Whew.

I also have two paintings hanging in Works on Canvas's Size Matters Show. I spent so much time on the business of art that I did no art last week. It's the way it goes.

In March, I'll be moving the Kat Schneider Studio for at least three months to 301 West Holly St. Suite M5, Bellingham, WA. It will be interesting to be downtown and I wonder if it will impact my practice any. At least I'll be closer to the modeling sessions and it'll be easier for me to establish my own.

Lesson Learned.

You may feel that you have seen this before.

The painting was looking a little 'piecey'. It wasn't coalescing (can't believe I spelled that right) until I took a large flat brush and applied a light coat of an off-white color to it. It should be self-evident, but until I did that, I didn't realize that bigger canvases need bigger brushes.

As my son would say, face-palm moment.

new work on top of old one

I have agreed to participate in Works on Canvas's Size Matters Show. So I took a large failed painting from a class and re-painted it. Already this photograph is out of date because, in looking at the photo, I realized that the lines are too hard, took a paint brush and painted over them. I really should make myself stop around five. I get too tired to be sensible.

I waited forever to work on this painting because I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to do anything worthwhile. If I keep that attitude, I'll never do anything so I decided to plunge right in. At the very least, I can tell myself that someday, if I keep practicing, I'll get better. Certainly won't get anywhere dithering. I know that I can do something more subtle as there is an example earlier in this blog. Someday I'll be able to do it purposely, not by happy accident.

Pacific NW Abstract Show

Tomorrow, I drive to Anacortes to attend a drawing session afterwhich, I drive to Stanwood to deliver this painting to the Gallery by the Bay's Pacific NW Abstract Show. I will be showing with many other local artists. I feel lucky to be able to participate.

Now that the holidays are over, I am looking forward to taking up my regular schedule of drawing and am ready to move on to painting. I have also signed up for a Gage portrait painting class. We'll see if I'm able to absorb anything useful there.