Rainbow Sherbet, Mrs. Finch and the Artful Journey

Mrs. Finch Takes a Walk with her New Umbrella
encaustic on birch 8x8

The shortest distance from A to B is a straight line.  Even the great circle route is short and straight as it curves over the globe.  Do you remember as a kid stretching the string from your hometown to somewhere in Europe?   For me, the art process usually starts as a visualized straight line - A to B - simple as that.  However, it can take many twists and turns along the way and really sometimes, I never end up at B.  I sometimes go right on by, or miss the turn, or take a detour.. anyway, what I'm saying is that I don't end up at B or at least my visualized B. 

This painting went that way for me - no B - not even a Plan B.  The idea is to use the color inspiration for The Summer of Color 2 - Ice Cream Inspirations given by Kristin over at Twinkle, Twinkle - that's A.  Then, create a work of art using the color inspiration for this week of Rainbow Sherbet - that's B. Easy.. a straight line, the straight and narrow.

In my mind - B (the work of art) didn't look anything like this.  For one thing, there was no bird involved.  I started with a very cool background and moved on to a great photo transfer.  I painted in the umbrella which I loved... but then things took a turn.  My car went careening in a downhill spiral.  I managed to pull it out and take a side road.  Then an enormous pothole bounced me in a new direction.  I overheated on a huge uphill climb - and coasted down windy switchbacks to find a bright orange detour sign pointing a new direction.  Then, finally a straight flat road was visible once again (not the same one as I started on, mind you).

Sometimes, our best works begin with a vision and they stick to the plan A to B - the straight and narrow.  Other times, the road map gets thrown out the window at some point in the artful journey.  Mrs. Finch is the outcome of the zig-zag process we lovingly call art - a detour here, a side road there, switchbacks, steep inclines and treacherous pot holes that can easily bump us off the road. 

Mrs. Finch is inspired by the work of  Olaf Hajek.  His art is a personal favorite of mine.  In Olaf Hajek's world, Mrs. Finch would be wearing a black cocktail dress rather than a raincoat.  However, Mrs. Finch is a product of Seattle, and a black cocktail dress is hardly practical for the weather. 
Go check out and join in the FREE fun at Summer of Color 2.  Its 6 weeks of Ice Cream Inspiration starting with the delicious colors of Rainbow Sherbet - oranges and pinks.   Happy Paint Party Friday everyone.