Friday, October 12, 2012

Wrapping up with Flora Bowley, Hare Brained and Ira Glass

 
Vegetable Dreams
encaustic 20x30
 

Before
And.. actually before this - it was a portrait.  It was a face with long flowing hair that was to be a mermaid with a underwater background.  It was one of those panels in my studio that lost its way.  It has become one more layer and makes a richer deeper painting to think that a mermaid lives under Vegetable Dreams :)
I seem to be hare brained at the moment - in a good way. 
I've spent the past 5 weeks Blooming True with Flora Bowley.  Its been an amazing journey for me and I have shared some thoughts and some of my intuitive paintings over this time.  After this process, I am not sure if I can go back to the way I was painting - at least not for a while.   For me, the journey has been fun and full of unexpected twists and turns that have helped me discover or uncover new desires in my artwork.  I'm finding color - real awesome color.  I'm finding BIG - painting BIG is fun.  I'm finding a joy in painting animals.
 
I do have to say that it saddens me a little to understand that some of my classmates are not experiencing the joy that I am finding in this process.  There is frustration and disappointment with results.  Art is so very personal and so very easy to self critique and compare - especially in classroom situations.  The intuitive painting process is not easy.  Its not.  It requires an open mind, open heart, the ability to really let go of everything you've been taught about structure, planning, and rules.  It is much harder than it sounds because our inner critic makes it so.  Its a little easier for me because I have had no formal training to undo.
I feel they are a little too hard on themselves, especially at this point in the game.  We are all learning and in the early stages of getting this process which is so very different than I know I have ever tried.  It takes time, patience, practice and kindness.  This prompted me to pull out one of my favorite quotes that I felt was a fitting reminder to all of us who do creative work.
 
“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”  Ira Glass

Fight On! - and remember to be kind to yourself.  Use kind words when thinking about and making your creative work.  Thoughts become things - really.  Realize that not every single thing you make is gallery quality.   But that's OK - because we make art for ourselves.  I have 6 other panels that are in various stages in my studio right now.  Some of them are the ugliest ducklings ever  - but I have faith they will grow into beautiful swans.

36 comments:

  1. Ohh..I honestly LOVE your blog and your beautiful posts, advice and paintings..This post is wonderful..I LOVED reading it and thinking about it..Your paintings really are so..honest..I have no other word than that..It's like you really MEAN them and you really Mean what you say..They're so expressive and so full of thought!

    http://ibreatheit.blogspot.com/

    Duaa

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  2. Hi Marji, What a great painting...it was good before, but adding the hare has completely transformed this painting, so well done.

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  3. It is amazing to see where a piece of art was and where it is now. Your bunny belongs right there! Sorry to hear that some are struggling with such a personal process in the class.

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  4. So well said. I have actually stopped checking the Bloom True FB page for the reasons you expressed. The fact that so many were completing paintings in weeks 2 & 3, and talking about what they "saw" in paintings, just stressed me out and made it hard for me to embrace Flora's process. Love how your painting evolved and turned out. And to think there's a mermaid under there is just magical!

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  5. Very inspiring post. Love your art and your philosophy, Marji.

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  6. wow, loving the way that gorgeous hare is so at home in his surroundings, beautiful work.
    I am a newbee artist and couldn't draw a box a year ago, mind you still can't a draw a box.......lol but art am finding is a true adventure and loving every minute of it. I don't have high expectations so if anything turns out OK its the icing on the cake. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  7. i love the look! I'm not quite sure what intuitive painting is, but I have a pretty good idea. It is not what the people who live around me enjoy. They want photorealism, which I am not capable of producing. I'd like to be freer but I wouldn't be able to show off any of my stuff. So I will just keep doing my thing and keeping it in the art room. I love the quote by Glass. No wonder you loved the class.

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  8. Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comment.

    I love your hare painting, the colours and textures are amazing.

    I really enjoyed your post..... and I love the words of Ira Glass that you shared.

    Karenx

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  9. LOVE the hare painting. Wonderful job. Yes I am looking forward to some rain too. we really need it here. Glad you enjoy doing this type of work. You are very good at it too. Not everyone will like the same type of painting/Art but then that's OK because we broaden out to a variety of fantastic works. Keep up the Great work. HPPF

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  10. Really wonderful painting and very original, love it! HPPF!

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  11. it turned out beautifully! wow!

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  12. Marji, Your hare painting looks majestic!!! Lovely thought process...
    I can never forget the ever inspiring words of Ira Grass...I came across it a few months back when I was feeling very low and it really helped me to spring back!
    Thanks for sharing it:)

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  13. Wonderful, this exquisite composition, very creative. I love textures shapes and colors.

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  14. The caption made me smile, nice work!

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  15. your work is fantastic ~ Wow! Love it ~ And so needed to read your post today ~ thanks, namaste, (A Creative Harbor)

    thanks for coming by and commenting ^_^

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  16. Your work has always amazed me but seems to be at a completely different level now!! So impressive how this class has affected you!! Very significant work!! I see an art show out of these pieces!! Wow, just wow... Thanks for sharing your wisdom!! You inspire me! That quote was so important!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  17. great piece of art - greater piece of writing!!!
    thank you for sharing!
    cheers, dana

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  18. Great piece! Love the Hare and the title made me laugh

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  19. Great post... art is tough... it is hard work and all about pushing yourself and pushing boundaries and being frustrated and annoyed and happy and joyful and all the other emotions that ho along with the creative process... love seeing the changes you are forging and that quote is one of my favourites...xx

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  20. Fabulous painting! I love that spontaneous feel to it. :) Flora is great and I wish I could take one of her workshops in real life. :)

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  21. Your hare looks amazing! Loved reading this post, it's so true what you say. I also find that I can't go back to the way I painted before Flora's class. This intuitive painting is so freeing and fun, I am addicted ...☺

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  22. I like your attitude toward your work this process sounds very interesting! I also like your final version of this painting. It has interest, it. Drew me in.

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  23. I think this is my MOST favorite painting by you!
    Wow!
    Will it be for sale? :)
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  24. It's as great to read your intellectual and emotional reactions to all you are learning in this class as it is to see the paintings that you are being inspired to create.

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  25. Wow this is beautiful! It's funny how some paintings start out completely different to what you end up with, this one is gorgeous. I've never done encaustic painting......must read up on it! :0)

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  26. I love this!!! And i so wish i was in this class as well, as i find this style of painting so fun and exciting! Glad you are enjoying it as well!

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  27. I always love seeing the before and afters!!!!!

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  28. wow this is stunning! It really draws me in and I love that there is a mermaid hiding underneath.. wonderful!

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  29. I like the sense of depth you have achieved - and all the layers and scratched back textures. It is really transformed!

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  30. I love the art of the hare. I agree, one of the hardest things is Not to compare yourself to others. You are unique, just as the artwork you do. So glad you are having a great experience, a good place to be in. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  31. Beautiful! I love the richness of your composition. Blessings!

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  32. I love your hare and all the wonderful background colours. Beautiful!

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  33. Your work is wonderful and I love hares too.
    Instinctive art is best I always feel and I love looking at the work of artists who work in this way...I agree...you have got to let go and go where your heart and instincts take you.
    Bravo!
    xxx

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  34. Marji, this is wonderful, and I think you're spot-on. Painting is a process, and I think you have to love the process, even when you're not always in love with the outcome. Otherwise, there's no way any of us would continue to paint! I took a 3-day Flora class this month and it was such a challenge for me (since my style is more illustrative, usually planned out). What I took away from the class was a new JOY in paint itself. I simply had FUN, and I was even overjoyed that one of my paintings turned out UGLY--just because I knew I enjoyed the process of creating it and didn't over-think or pressure myself. :)

    Love the Ira Glass quote--awesome, awesome.

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  35. Love the hare. Will try Kyrstyn Pixton. And I'll re read Ira's words. Thanks for all.

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  36. Wonderful post, full of wise words, Marji. I love the quote by Ira Glass. And I love your hare painting! It really is magical to know there's a mermaid under there, since I have a special affinity for them. And for rabbits, too!

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