Friday, May 18, 2012

Friday - Let it Go


Wish You Were Here
photo encaustic on birch 5x5
Do you have a painting "bone yard", a place where the misfit works go?  You know what I mean.. the ones that no matter how hard you work on them and no matter how much time you spend, you just can't make them flesh out to the vision you had in your mind's eye.  Is it because the composition is off?  Perhaps its the drawing itself or the colors or really you can't put your finger on it - but it just isn't right and it doesn't do it for you.  There is something about the piece that does not lift you up and make you smile. 
Well, I have those works and I'll share what I have found to do.  Let it goLet it go to the bone yard, the land of misfit works or be recycled, reused, cut up, or painted over.  I used to spend lots of time trying to make it right.  No matter what I did, I could never really pull it out.  I would enter my studio and give a big *sigh* and think... well, I'll take another stab at it and see if I can get it right.  Yet, there is something that lingers within that just knows this one is not quite right.  Nope, I'm not going to do it anymore..  Let it go.  Even the greats, like John Singer Sargent for example, rubbed out and started fresh.   I've decided that's the way to go - let it go.  Move on, move forward.  Turn it around so you don't look at it every time you enter the studio - there should be no wayward sigh.  As artists, I believe we should do art that lifts us up not work on something that sucks the creative spirit from us.  It's OK to let it go.  It's OK to leave it behind.  These works are the learning tools, the stepping stones that move us on, move us forward.  These are the works that get us from A to B.  Take from these works, the one thing you were meant to learn.  What did you like about it?  Was it the color, the process of making it, the line, the texture... if you really look, there is one or perhaps more than one nugget of something great that happened.  As a whole, well... it didn't come together - but that one little part of it was pure brilliance.  Take that and build upon it for the next one - but, as a whole.. let it go.
I have two right now that really I can't get them right and they are big and I've put a lot of time in.  But, the process of making them.. the line, the texture in the background, a couple things I did - I love.. love, love, love.  Now, I just have to figure out how to take those little bits that make me smile and excite me and move forward with them.   
It's Paint Party Friday today - YAY!  I so love going blog hopping and seeing what everyone is doing.   And, I'm linking up with Creative Every Day

32 comments:

  1. I never thought of it as the bone yard- but I have one of those and your post is motivating me to let the energy suckers go. Thanks! Happy PPF!

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  2. Fantastic post ~ most inspiring and 'bone yard' ~ great term ~ Love your encaustic ~ great look ~ thanks namaste, ^_^

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  3. Great post! I struggle with this issue a lot! This is so hard to do, but ultimately so freeing. You open up space for new art. I love the colors in your painting. Very nice.

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  4. Loving your encaustic. Your words are definitely worth thinking about as I find it hard to let go and keep going back to try and put it right. I think your attitude is correct and will try and apply these thoughts. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  5. Love your painting! And yes, I certainly do have a (watercolor) bone yard. I cut them up and use the pieces for cards, or backgrounds for tangles.

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  6. Yes I too have a bone yard of paintings. Sometimes its the canvas itself that doesn't work and sometimes the whole painting. Yep you have to let them go.This painting of yours is good tho. Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog. I am so glad to hear I have helped someone see whats in their own back yard. We have so many kinds of birds I would never have noticed had I not started feeding them and paying attention to what was coming. and....painting them. That made my project all worthwhile. :))

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  7. You are quite right, only the creator knows what it takes to give birth to a new work, rarely we are proud of it. Saludos

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  8. P.D, your girl in bath whith glasses are stuny and nice. Saludos

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  9. Ahhh, the sweet freedom of the trash bin, once you embrace it, life gets so much better.

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  10. this is a beautiful piece, so realistic.

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  11. I do have a bone yard of paintings and honestly don't know what to do with them. Your painting is terrific, great work. Now you have me thinking on what to do with my canvas bone yard. Happy PPF!

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  12. I have a bone yard and I kind of like having it... it means I am trying an pushing myself... it would be awful to never have those mistakes and messes... have agreat weekend...xx

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  13. She's wonderful! I love your technique and colors. Very nice! Happy PPF!

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  14. Wonderful and inspiring post!
    p.s. I love encaustics!! :)
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  15. she is lovely! the texture of beeswax is lovely!!!
    the human form eludes me!!!

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  16. I love your painting today - she reminds me of my mom as a young girl. Thanks for bringing back that memory!
    And I really appreciate what you wrote today. I have taken great joy in gesso-ing over things that belong in the bone yard!
    Rinda

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  17. I have a bone yard too, and I use it to see my progress over the years. Great post and your painting is great!! Happy ppf! :-)

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  18. I totally get what you're saying and in fact just a couple of weeks ago I blogged about exactly that-how I'd tried the same piece 3 times before finally conceding defeat and painting an entirely different picture over the top of it!

    The piece is beautiful however so is obviously one of your success stories!

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  19. Let it go.. what a beautiful liberating word. Love your creation. :)

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  20. I can't imagine your work going to the bone yard.:) Love it!

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  21. I have many "bones"! I will paint right over them, and many times not even cover them with gesso, but turn them upside down or sideways and do my new painting right over the misfit painting! I think, too that each of our days is different and so our moods and ideas are different. sometimes if a piece takes too long to get finished, we have lost that initial spark that gave us the idea, so we can't continue with it with passion.

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  22. I forgot to comment on your new painting! How do you like doing encaustic? it seems to be the "rage" right now and i can't even imagine how it is done. It seems to give a sort of vintage look to the ones I have seen. i love the one you did for today. you really captured the mood of a beach day photo to send home.

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  23. Love your girl. Your work is amazing!! ... I have a pile of those bones everywhere in my house.
    Sometimes I go back after several years,..months if I'm lucky. Have a wonderful day!

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  24. "Wish you were here," is wonderful!! Thanks for the great advice too!!! I needed this post!! I have actually taken paintings off my wall and perked them up so to speak! However I have many hiding behind couches and under things out of sight because they are not to my standards! I think they need a gesso application.... Thanks for this!!


    Hugs Giggles

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  25. Well I hope THIS is not one you felt you had to let go...I like it!

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  26. Great post, so true! Lovely painting!

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  27. So true! I love your painting!!

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  28. Great use of colour for volumes.
    I tend to get stuck for days before giving up on work. When I can finally move, I get rid of the troublesome piece.

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  29. I have no problem letting them go. If it's not working, and I tried, really tried..gone! I've never had one regret because I'm on to the next one.

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