I've had very little time lately to paint. But when I do go into the studio, it seems I am in a phase where nothing ever resolves and where I don't much like anything I'm creating. I have lots of paintings sitting around and none of them finished...so nothing to show. I thought I'd better put up an "in progress" pic here of at least one area of the studio so you can see I'm telling the truth.
If all the paintings resolved themselves at once (ha), I'd have enough posts ready for a long time to come.
I've never tried landscape painting, but one of the painters whose work I most love is Stuart Shils. His houses, urbanscapes, and especially his Irish seascapes (almost totally abstract) amaze me with their power and beauty. I just discovered this excellent online interview with him. It's about 6 pages of great reading interspersed with some of his paintings in all their glorious color.
-----
Miss Lemon makes sure Gadjo stays warm, whether by keeping him company on the radiator...
%2Bof%2B01-Sugar%2BMaple.jpg)
10 comments:
Hi Jala, we all have times of lots of unfinished work hanging around…times of inactivity usually precede something really wonderfully creative. At least you have lots of supports ready to work on. I used to feel very frustrated about this kind of thing, but these days use this time (just like you) by reading interviews, catching up on my favourite art blogs…. looking at my favourite famous artists work, tidying up and organising my studio space etc. even though we are not painting…. ideas and creative thoughts are still filtering in our ‘minds eye’. …and you have been a busy lady lately. I will read the interview and check out this painters work over my coffee this morning. Your kitties are just too precious for words!
Jala,
I feel compelled to comment about the artist you posted on your blog post. I looked at his work and just loved his sketches. It’s so bizarre how even in cyberspace there is so many co-incidences and how the higher power works in mysterious ways! At the beginning of January I stared a daily sketching blog inspired by another artist's call for likeminded artists to sketch everyday and post to a new blog. I ‘vet had some graphitone pencils sitting around for a number of years and never used them…. always preferring to dive straight in with paint! Well I picked them up and started using them with water and I can’t believe I’m drawing again from photos, memory and plein aire! They are verging on the abstract a little I thought.... and then today I looked at the link on your blog…. and my goodness I just love his work...this is what I aspire to! Your link and blog post has inspired me to ….well….I don’t know where!
I do hope you either finish some of your paintings or start some new ones…and I think you should pursue some landscape type abstracts…
Here is the link to my sketch blog ….I would love your feedback on some of these sketches if you have the time. Why not join me (us) in daily sketching?
http://sketchwithmaggie.blogspot.com/
All the best,
Go to Shils website, scroll down to "film" and look at the 2 clips from his documentary "Ballycastle". Enough to make you want to go there. Enough to buy the DVD? I'll split it with you.
Hi Jala, I hope you find some inspiration soon to finish your paintings. Maybe you need a goal like the white paintings you did, they looks really great all together, I hope you found a location to exhibit them there are beautiful works.
Thank you for introducing Stuart Shils I found his Irish works just wonderful and really full of atmosphere and expression. There is a wee video of him painting in Ireland for a few moments. Very inspiring to watch.
Get those paints out Jala!
lots to look forward to! off to check out stuart...thanks for the link.
Glad to see a new post by you! I relate completely to the sentiments you mention about your work. Like Maggie, I've been blog reading, reading about new and famous artist's works and finding other sources of inspiration that hopefully will help me work towards some progress in my own work. I've also been trying to do other productive things pertaining indirectly to my studio and art. We shall see...
Thanks for posting the link to Mr. Shils' work - I love his painterly style with the geometric lines showing through, and his use of color. His drawings are wonderful!
Stay warm - another system is supposed to blow through and chill things down. Maybe it won't make it as far north/east as Boulder...
Our work is a reflection of our selfs. We are all works in progress. The idea of completion is rather limiting. I know the frustration of our own interpretations of the work we do, but others eyes may be completely smitten. It's not an easy road but there's always the next bend. Suddenly your eye/soul is excited.
Thanks for sharing Shil's interview. Great stuff!
LOVE the Stuart Shils interview - so insightful. Lots of good "starts" is a great place to be. Wishing you much creative flow... Happy 2011! XOXO
Maggie, thank so you much for your kind words, enthusiasm, and your returning to comment after seeing Shils' work. Stunning, isn't it?!
Sam - So are we going halves on that?
Hi Caroline, I agree, that small vid clip is enough to inspire a lifetime of painting. Amazing place, amazing painter, eh?
The white paintings are actually just in a rather ignominious heap in my studio at the moment...
Hi Suzanne, thanks for dropping in. "See" you around!
Hi Sonya, it was really feeling as if I hadn't posted in weeks. Strange how a few days or a week without posting feels like much longer. Also strange how my life has changed since beginning this blog! Wonderful thing to make friends and see art via internet.
If I look at enough art when I'm in a painting slump, I alternate between feeling inspired and feeling like "Why bother?" Fortunately, the inspired feeling wins out eventually.
Hi Brian, I absolutely love what you've said here. I keep re-reading it, it really all resonates with me. Thank you.
Hi Laurel - Thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed Shils' interview; so did I. His sketches are incredible, aren't they? Happy New Year to you too, and you're right, having a lot of supports sitting around waiting for more paint is not a bad thing.
Hi Jala, those moments when ideas lag are hard. You will get past them.
As for the Stuart Shils interview - wowzaa! Thank you so much for sharing. I have found a new favorite. Love his way of speaking too. I can see why you really resonate to his work.
Post a Comment