Pure Inspiration

I get lost on the internet frequently. I start out looking for something in particular and before I know it, I've gone off on some tangent. I love doing that. I've found so many wonderful things that truly inspire me and make me glad I'm an artist. Here's something I found recently. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

October

Since I removed the causes of my anxiety and stress and have been enjoying a month of peace and happiness, my creativity has been surfacing and rejuvenating. I posted a new painting on FB the other day and have come across some really beautiful artwork that inspires me. Take a look at Daniel Egneus. He's an illustrator.

danielegneus.com

Dear Blog...

I am sorry I have been so neglectful. I am adding some graphic design work since I haven't been doing much painting lately. I do miss painting. I'm following some great plein air painter's blogs and they are very enticing and inspiring. Oh art, how I love thee!

I love gadgets...

Yes, I love gadgets. I don't know how people find such interesting things to put on their websites, but I love 'em. I found the two most recent ones while researching Ansel Adams. I'm getting ready to create a poster for a photography contest. The contest is fictional. I'm creating this for a final assignment in a graphic design course. The concept is Yosemite offering photographers to bid for a spot on a photography expedition into the restricted areas of the park. These are places no one gets to go very often for the purpose of photographing some of the most beautiful acreage on Earth. Then the participants will get their photos published in a book that will be created after the exhibition. The whole idea came from listening to my son-in-law talk about how he was taking some photos while at Yellowstone one day and noticed a small group of men in an SUV going though a gate into a restricted area. He asked what was going on and who the men where and found that they were photographers who were being allowed to enter and photograph this area. He wanted to join them or find out how he could go on his own expedition but was told that would be impossible. He complains often about the restricted areas in our national parks that we are not allowed to ever enter. If you have any comments or concerns one way or another about this, I'd love to hear about it.

Thinking about the new year...

Thinking over the year that has past I see that there are many things I would have liked to have done but didn't get around to doing. I sort of feel like I'm in the middle of a river, out of control, being shuffled along. This would be a great accomplishment...to get a handle on doing what I really want to do instead of being pushed and pulled along by so many seemingly insignificant whims. I think "paint, draw, read and write" should be my new mantra.

Three Pears

I think it's always a good idea to keep life as simple as possible. I tend not to live life in the simple lane. It's a challenge. In painting, this is good advice. Again, I tend not to follow the simple path. I get myself into a corner almost every time. The mermaid paintings that I started this past July are a good example. I have these six paintings that are poster size. They all have excellent starts to about being half-way done. Then I had a melt down. I stopped painting. I've since learned that resistance is my enemy. I read a little about that from Steven Pressfield's book "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Creative Battles." He names the enemy. Resistance is my enemy in practically every area of my life! So I posted a few reminders around and fight this battle every day now. Resistance to doing what I love, what I should, what's good for me, etc., etc. It's progressively changing me. Why do I do anything other than paint, read, write, listen to great music, think and maybe get out and take some pictures once in a while and think some more. How many times have I opted to do the dishes instead! The enemy has a name. Now to fight...and hopefully win.

Cutting my way through...

One of the best things I've ever done to improve as an artist lately is to put down my brushes. I'm thinking maybe I might not ever pick them up again. I'm a child of the baby-boomer, Bob Ross style of painting, heavy on the technique and light on content. I've spent the better part of my adult life trying to "improve" my technique carefully trying to maintain a balance between visually correct and photorealistic. I wouldn't like to think of any of my work as so dead as to be considered "realistic" but there it is. I want to break away from that so I've taken my brushes away from myself. I have to say so far I really love the way palette knives force me away from busy detail. I want to take that alot farther and I'm sure it will evolve to the point that my work takes on a nice comfortable abstraction. I don't want to work my paintings to death! A palette knife will help me do that. Here's my first attempt. I used a yellow underpainting because of all the blues and greens. I worked fairly small...9" by 12". I would like to work larger but this was sufficient for the amount of time I had before the sun went down. So now....the mermaids are coming. More on that soon.