Now here’s my type of guy! I remembered it slightly differently, and it became my motto for the week….”make something different every day and have fun”. Well, OK, just a slight rewrite. But it really gave me a new boost in my studio work.
When I got to my studio each day last week, I gave myself as a first task to do something different. It took the pressure off of finishing my current work for a bit, and I got to take a creative break. I definitely had fun coming up with new things. I painted some bold shapes over a very languid peaceful seascape that was boring me. I drew on top of gold leaf panels, then poured transparent paint over them.
Not all the experiments resulted in finished work, or images I like, but it made a difference in my attitude and what I painted after that. I highly recommend trying this to see if you also will surprise yourself. As an idea, try this as a first activity of the day for a few days.
This week I am heading up to Ghost Ranch, Georgia O’Keeffe’s old hang out in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The fall leaves are still brilliant, and I am going to try something different.
Instead of my usual plein air (outdoor landscape painting) gear of oil pastels and small sketch pad, I am bringing along the new slow drying acrylic paints by Golden, called Open Acrylic. They have a long open time, staying wet for over 24 hours. Here in DRY New Mexico under the hot outdoor sun I am guessing I’ll have a few hours instead. But, hey, thanks to advice from Robert – its something DIFFERENT!
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Wow – Georgia O’Keeffe – when I first began painting only a few years back her work totally had me hooked. I loved the movement and colours she uses – and when asked who most inspired me – it was Georgia O’Keeffe. I am really astounded that all of a sudden our paths have crossed Nancy – and here you are on this blog talking about the one person who totally had me hooked on painting! I only came across her work through the internet in the first place – yes! This lovely world of cyberspace!
When you say you painted over a seascape – it reminds me of my butterfly artwork – it had some very vibrant flowers on it to begin with – then I totally destroyed them and began with the bold brushstrokes – only to end up with my lovely butterflies and then your book arrived and I added another dimension and voila! A whole new magical piece of art! By the way, I have found a new supplier for my paints here in good ol’ NZ and they sell Golden products – I am hooked! Bye for now.
oohhh, have fun, wish I could tag along! am loving your book, still, and wish, wish, wish I could have another class with you!