Getting Back Into It

15 Feb 2014

It has been a loooong time since I have given serious time to painting.

It is time to

get back....

get back to where I once belonged. (Sorry - I couldn't resist)

Just finished this work started in a workshop with Linda Kemp.

"Grapes Again"

This 3 hour workshop was all about painting negative space. We did a small piece that explained the process. It was easy. You draw a shape(s) and then paint the space around it (the negative space). Let it dry. Draw more shapes and paint around the first shapes and the second ones, and so on and so on until you are done.

However, we then started a second painting. This time we got the paper wet and just put in a few shapes so that it looked like a blurry picture. We used brushes and our fingers. Well, those of you that know me know that this is way too loose for me to be in a comfort zone. But then that was kind of the idea behind taking the workshop in the first place. So I quick put in a branch and made a few grape shapes with my thumb. Well, we then started painting around it and to tell you the truth - by the time I looked up she had this gorgeous floral going..... and I had a mess.

Determined to see this through to the end I dibbled and dabbed and kept adding either grapes or leaves until there was no more space left. (And I did this for months!) I learned a lot. There is a neat transparency happening with the various layers. I was surprised that they did not get muddy with as much paint on there as there is. I know I will use the technique again but mostly as background. I think I felt uncomfortable because I was trying to paint like someone else and failed miserably at "being Linda Kemp". Lesson learned. Which is all it was supposed to be.

I learned a lot but it is time to move on to the next painting.