Friday, December 12, 2014

The Balancer


sold

As many of you know, I got pretty burnt out a couple of years ago with painting - specifically still life. Here are the things that helped me heal in the 2 years since then:

1. Trying different things (other mediums, classes, subjects, etc.)
2. Not painting when I didn't feel like it.
3. Talking to artist friends for support and suggestions.
4. Taking time to get bored (and re-inspired).
5. Uhhhh, wine.
6. And specifically, though I'm sort of repeating number 1, painting a variety of subjects.

It's awfully nice to know I have a whole slew of things I can paint when I wake up in the morning, and not JUST cups or apples. And while I've been enjoying these "other" subjects (cows, cats, trucks, people, etc.), sometimes I get a hankering to paint cups again. And it's usually been long enough that I remember all over again why I fell in love with still life in the first place. Which is awesome!

5 comments:

Gretchen Hancock said...

Nice shadow shapes.

Rita Kirkman Daily Paintings and Art Journal said...

Oh, yea!! And you must remember -- YOU do cups like no one else!! You are the MASTER of cups!! This one is AWESOME, it has that excellent value ratio that you tried to teach us in your workshop, masterful color harmony - it's almost grey scale except for that bit of blue, and a composition to die for!
(PS: Love that reflected light!!)

And I know EXACTLY how you feel when you're burnt out. If I didn't do paintings in pastel and oil, caricatures, and 3 kinds of portraits, all at various times of the year, I'd be completely insane (not to mention broke! lol)

Unknown said...

Lovely art!

Sue Marrazzo Fine Art said...

SWEET, clean and FRESH!

Unknown said...

I just ran across your blog the other day and I, for one, am glad that you decided to paint those tiny little cups because I'm in love with the light blue highlights on the handle of the top cup. Beautiful!