from Robin CheersThe advice my husband gave me last night. And my "mantra" akin to Dory's "just keep swimming" - JUST KEEP PAINTING.
The past two weeks have been a struggle. But I keep trying at least. I have granted myself permission to waste materials. To just try and if it doesn't work, I can wipe off or paint over later. Or wait and see if its got hidden potential.
I noticed my palette got stuck in a certain range and I painted 3 paintings with that same color scheme without even realizing it. So, I altered that. I've tried different compositions, going larger, then going smaller, but just keep going! I do tend to quit too soon. I think a lot of artists stop when it gets ugly. There is an ugly moment in many paintings, but we have to work past that and bring things together. I've been giving up and haven't believed in the painting.
I had the good fortune to attend an artist talk and demo with Quang Ho and Scott Christensen last weekend and they shared some wonderful thoughts which really made me stop and think.
Scott joked that artists have to "enjoy suffering" and need to be willing to have paintings fail. Fail not for lack of trying, but because you push yourself in order to learn and grow. And if you are making decisions as you paint, then you will have a positive outcome, but if you aren't making conscious choices as you work, then you are painting in fear.
Quang said you can't get attached, rather ask, "What if?"
3 comments:
Thank you Robin for this post. I just posted a similar one after attending a workshop with Ovanes Berberian. I watched a demo at the Weekend with the Masters with Quang Ho in Monterey last month and enjoyed it very much. Now I guess I have to go paint.....and just keep painting. Thank you for the reminder..
Robin, thank you so much for sharing your struggles and also these words of wisdom. I. Am very encouraged and inspired by all of it.
God bless,
Jacki
:0)
Post a Comment