Ever wonder what it’s like to see the world from an artists perspective? Would you like a glimpse of the life of the artist to get a look at the learning process and the development of creativity? Come with me while I share my world and my learning process as an artist, as a poet and as a person. Let’s open the window to my world and let in some fresh air. Join me as a neighbor and a friend…
Where It Starts
This is a picture of my studio where I do most of my creative work. The really messy stuff, is done outside in the garage. But I’ve been known to commandeer just about any open space 🙂 Fortunately, over the years I’ve managed to accumulate almost every art supply necessary for my craft, including many I rarely use. Sometimes I wonder which is more fun, creating the project or buying the supplies.
Taking a Chance
This time I’m embarking on a new painting in an area where my comfort levels are a bit shaky. I’ll admit I’m not as comfortable painting people as I am doing objects – in fact, I find drawing people difficult so I’ve often avoided doing so. I’ve explored the idea of silhouettes, such as this one (https://precioustopriceless.com/product/reflections-in-wine-red/), both because I love the mystery of the person in the shadows and because using them in a painting allows the viewer to place themselves in the scene since the features are not defined. However, I can’t do that in every painting.
I also considered the impressionistic viewpoint often used by artists such as Monet, Degas, Matisse, Cezanne, etc., because this style often implies structure (or person in this case) without getting bogged down in details. Though certainly even these paintings must have all the elements of shadow/light, proportion, color and composition.
However, I do find details, to some extent, are the most fascinating part of a painting. So I largely avoided painting people unless it was absolutely necessary. Was this laziness or fear? I’d say it was a bit of both. I’m a fair artist and I can sketch if I put the effort into the drawing. However there is a surprising difference between loving to sketch and loving to paint. I’ll admit that I prefer the latter.
That said, I still believe that it is usually best for me to either strain my comfort level a bit or jump completely outside the box. That’s the only way I’ve been able to grow and learn anything of lasting value. It’s always a thrill for me to have conquered a limit or a fear. So I’m looking to be thrilled here and, while I may not conquer it immediately, I plan on at least denting it a bit.
Natural Wonder – A New Painting
This painting is called Natural Wonder. It depicts the wonder of a child exploring her world.
When I saw this child in a photo it immediately attracted my attention. I still remember doing a lot of exploring around this age. I remember at a very young age sitting in the back yard of my home in Pennsylvania and stringing clover together into a necklace. After all these years I can almost smell the clover and hear the sound of the birds on a warm spring day. Considering I was just beginning 2nd grade when we moved to California and I’m about to turn 68, that was a very long time ago indeed!
So this my intention as I embark on this new project. I’m excited to begin and that you are here to join me on the journey. I’m trusting that this project will teach me a lot about the process of painting human figures. For better or worse, I’ve begun and I’m determined to see it through and show the unvarnished truth about overcoming the hurtle of conquering my weak spot. Wish me luck, patience and self-acceptance. I’ll likely need all of them!
Pat Scott 1-12-2021