Tuesday, May 19, 2015

LONG DAYS…..more time for ART

LONG DAYS….more time for ART.
I have been working as much as I can, considering that May, in Norway, has an over abundance religious holidays and Independence Day (May 17th) that long weekends are the norm. Cramming 5 days of painting into 3 has been an exercise in concentration and endurance. I have worked through lunch breaks, have not remembered to make tea or coffee, have forgotten to consider what's for dinner.
After considering what I feel makes me want to stand in front of a painting for more than 2 minutes, I seem to have dragged up from my sub conscience a small bit of realization.   Drawing has been a large part of my artistic life, from small doodles to more finished work. However, when painting, I have largely left drawing out. Only some small lines for guidance..
Suddenly, about a month ago, I took a medium sized round brush and drew, in black, the outlines of some ancient steps that I had photographed a couple of years ago.  The canvas already had splashes of color, leftovers from previous work.  I decided to do a series-varying some of the shapes, and color schemes, and sizes of canvas, but basically working at using the drawing as an integrated part of the whole. No covering up the contours; actually using many colors for the drawings, and keeping to a limited palette.
One thing lead to another, and I was enjoying this new (for me) rediscovery. It has lead to many fun paintings, and color schemes that challenge me in their simplicity. I will continue nature paintings from my photographs, although using the photos as a jumping off point only. Luckily, with the forest and mountains only a 5 minute hike away, and the sea right under my feet, the sites and smells and lights and feelings are revisited regularly and kept fresh in the front of my mind. New inspiration just keeps popping my way and I don't know where it comes from, but just when I think I can't possibly come up with anything new to paint..