You may remember this painting from when I wrote about the abstract painting course I took recently. This is actually it further back in the process, when the challenge was to use a size, shape or colour palette we wouldn’t normally use.
You know me, I like a square canvas and I have a certain colour palette, as many artists do, that I tend to default to, because you can really never have too much turquoise. Amiright!
So I went for a landscape rectangle, and green {with some yellow, red and yellow ochre}. Oh my. How I did NOT love this!
I was totally out of my comfort zone, didn’t like the colour mixes I was getting, couldn’t get to grips with the composition, and spent a lot of the time thinking ‘oh. NO.’ {So that should nicely shatter any illusions you may have had about how it goes around here. 😉 }
But I persevered.
And I still hated it! Ha.
I shared it with the group and everyone was very kind, saying it reminded them of Monet. And some people do just like green. It’s funny how other people finding things to love in your work helps you see it in a softer light. {Little Life Note there.}
I left it horizontal until after the end of the course, knowing it wasn’t finished but feeling daunted by all the unknowns and possible variables. And then I thought, sod this. It’s my painting, I can take it anywhere I like. So I turned it, and started an energy painting over it. I tried to keep the greens, but of course some blue/aqua crept in.
I can’t even tell you how much I love this image above. I know it’s kind of a mess but the drips and splatters, the way the colours run together, the feeling of movement. It moves something in ME.
Spring Torrents :: mixed media on canvas :: 30 x 60 cm
So I kept going and kept going until it felt complete. I also added some Iridescent Pearl, because having discovered it while making Artist Inspired I now need to have it in ALL the paintings.
I really REALLY love this painting now. It’s for sale but in the meantime it’s hanging in my bedroom and I swear it’s shifting the energy in there somehow. And when I shared it on Facebook it was astonishing not just how many comments it received but also how people see so many different things in it. It’s a painting full of messages for sure.
While I loved this piece’s “Monet” period the finished painting is amazing. You SHOULD love it!! xx
Thank you Lorinda! I appreciate that!
From what this was…to what it became…wow. It was muddy at first so I can see why it didn’t appeal to you (add that it’s not your usual comfort of colours). But you kept at it and allowed the process and allowed yourself to speak through it all and came up with something that flows and now has “life” and feeling to it. It was dead when you began — you gave it life.
Thanks Sherry! I always hope that sharing my process allows people to see that it’s not always smooth going, but so worth it to keep persevering!
Tara, I love this painting – I’m not surprised it’s shifting the energy in your room! And what I especially love is seeing the process you went through – the journey of this painting – wow, how it evolved into something incredibly beautiful. And it makes me think about the writing process – it’s just a matter of starting – then you have something to work with, even if you so do not like what you begin with. Thank you for the inspiration.
The process is something that I think fascinates everyone, myself included! I often think the parts we don’t see in the final piece are just as important as what we do see, not just because each layer adds depth visually, but energetically speaking too. And yes, I love that – if you just begin, no matter what that looks like, you then have something to work with – great point! Thanks for stopping by Vicky!
Beautiful painting Tara, i love it !
Thank you Maryse!