New painting alert. New new painting in fact.
I’ve been painting over some of the unloved old and unfinished canvases in my studio gradually since moving, and this is one such example. In fact, this one’s had two incarnations before this third and final one. See here for the first one {crikey, two boyfriends ago! And kind of embarrassing, but also real}, and here for some of the process from one to two.
It’s always a risk for me to show the paintings I cover up; sometimes people wonder why I replaced something they liked with something they think is shit. Fortunately, I don’t mind about that. Also I love a good before and after.
in the beginning {initially started about three years ago I think}
I wanted to make a piece that used a quote, and after some searching through the bajillion nuggets of bite sized wisdom I’ve gathered into my quotes file, I realised that I actually wanted to just use some of my own damn wisdom. Because let’s face it, I’m full of it.
😉
incarnation number two, painted in december last year. this was never going to be the end of it, it was more an experiment.
So these previously neglected old paintings are gradually becoming objects to love again, and this one in its newly-lavished-with-love state has a real soft spot in my heart. I was about to elaborate on why that is when I realised I don’t actually know. Perhaps it’s the colours. Or the circle that is almost a prerequisite in my work. Or the words that, although I wrote them, I really can’t take credit for.
Who knows. Doesn’t really matter. The point is, now I can see those words writ large every time I come into the living room, and they bring me back to myself, remind me where to focus my attention, and just calm me down.
The words are from my poem ‘Peace Underneath‘.
Where the Jewels Are
mixed media on canvas
30 x 30 x 2 inches
This is truly beautiful work. Love the text. Was also interesting to see where it had come from. Such different energy each time. This work feels very connected to you. I have a tonne of unfinished work to do something with. You inspire me to edge closer to that stack of paintings.
Thank you for your kind words Tarsh; you’re right, I hadn’t really thought of it like that but there is definitely a different energy to each incarnation.
we evolve, and some old work has it’s place, as part of our past, and some feels like it never should have been. emotional artists work from the inside out, and how beautiful a piece is to others just isn’t enough. that you were true to yourself, that it lifts you every time you see it now, is everything.
and i get that 😉
I like that ’emotional artists work from the inside out’. I hadn’t thought of it like that before but it suddenly makes sense to me why I paint so many different things in different ways.