painterly bay... my backyard

The mudflats.  Oil on hardboard.  18 x 12". 2012

same location, different day....

The challenge this week over at The Artist Playroom was "In your own backyard"...  although not technically right in my backyard - this is pretty close!  We love to take the dogs for a walk along the bay.  This location is only a 5 - 10 min walk from home, and you can walk right around the bay.  At high tide there are small boats bobbing on the water, and you often see the ferry's going across to the islands.  At low tide there are the long stretches of mud flats, which are just as appealing to me - interesting patterns, and glimmers of light.

Not as much fun to walk on - especially with small, white, fluffy pooches! (we only did that ONCE!)

I painted this oil yesterday,  using a palette knife - my first use of a palette knife for a whole painting.  The oil is on pretty thick, and it was colder and rainy yesterday morning, so it's still very wet!    Will be interesting to see how long it takes to dry, as I didn't use any mediums - just straight paint.

On a different note I loved all the comments and feedback to my sketches last friday 'Sketching and Painting" , really made my weekend!

AND of course ( it just occurred to me!) this is soo Paint Party Friday - happy PPF!

Other posts you might like...

Sketching and Painting

breathe

In part of  a comment I left for Quinn Macdonald recently on her post about time, I said - 

 "I think thoughtfulness (actually being in this moment) and simplicity are aspects of life to be developed and cherished - and in this crazy high speed world we all need reminders to breathe..."

White teapot.  Oil. (For Sale)

This painting symbolises two things I do where I get to slow down and just 'be' - drinking green tea in the morning, listening to the birds in the park, and a glass of red wine at night...

I recently re-evaluated how I use my time.   And I realised you cannot 'bank' time.  I can't 'save' time and put it away ready to be drawn upon when I need it the most (on those days when: I want to paint, need to get the shopping done, cat to the vets, children to music lessons I'm running low of fuel in the car and we something on the table for dinner kind of days)

But I can be a better manager of my time, and put effort into the things I really want to do... which means I need to know WHAT it is I want to do... which lead me to a re-evaluation of goals, and how I currently use my time.

Because if I want to create work I am proud enough of to invest in getting them framed - I need a game plan...

What a difference framing makes! For the Aunties - mixed media.

Goal number 1: get fit.  We are heading into spring and fast into summer here in Australia - requiring (for me at least) to do a stocktake of my summer clothes.  I also found the scales recently and put new batteries in them, and discovered I had a very 'good' winter... and although I don't have a lot of extra weight to loose - I need to put on muscle, tone, and build strength. 

Step to goal 1: I joined the gym.  It was the first time I have stepped foot in a gym in over 20 years.  I'll let you know how I go... I have the assessment and program planning appointment today!

Goal number 2: commit more time to art. 

Step to goal 2: I made myself a timetable.  I needed to allocate time for: running the house, homeschooling, art, life drawing and gym.  There are really not that many hours in a day - not when you start adding in lots of things to do!

Today, I also remind myself to slow down, enjoy each moment, and breathe...

How to complete unfinished works

 

untitled work in progress

 

untitled 2 work in progress 

After leaving a few unfinished paintings sit around for a while I actually find it hard coming back to them.  I've lost that initial thrill of creating, and now it just feels a little too hard.  What do I do next? What needs adjusting or fine tuning? DO I even like what I've done so far?  These and other questions run through my head and I usually end up doing nothing!  So - how to overcome this fairly common dilema?  Here's my list of tips  I've just brainstormed that I'm going to use to complete some unfinished works and half started projects.

How to Complete Unfinished Works or projects:

1. Just do it!  Yes, just like the Nike add.  No I don't even own any running shoes, let alone Nike, but the sentiment is a good one and it applies to lots of things.  Especially when it comes to procrastinating!  Think you need to change a colour/ eye/ background... then just go with your gut instinct and... Just Do It. simple.

2. Take a photo, print it out.... play with the photocopy first.  You can make alterations, and 'play' freely as you have removed the fear of 'wrecking' it.  When you are happy with your results - then transfer onto your original artwork

3. Do a little at a time.  There are no awards for finishing everything in one sitting.  Set a plan to just do a little somethign everyday.  Breaking a large task into small steps stops it being overwhelming.

4. Play at Art more.  Don't worry about that unfinished painting.  Get some scrap paper and play with colours, and shapes; use an art journal if you have one and do free writing, then paint all over it.  It might just tweak some action in other areas of your art too!

5. Make sure you have given yourself the gift of time.  Time to sit and ponder.  Without interruptions or worries.  Set a timer if you have to so you aren't worried about keeping a track of time.  Then you are just free to be present in the moment, in the time you have. 

6.  Ask anothers opinion or advice.

7. Ask yourself - is this painting worth the effort.  Or do you really just want to start all over again.  That's O.K. too.  Then it is no longer unfinished - grab the primer or gesso and prepare the surface for a new art work.

8. Put them away, out of sight for a day/ week.  Maybe you've been looking at it too long.  Have a holiday from each other - and then try again when you feel fresher.

9.  Just work through one at a time..... OR  Work on lots of different aspects of lots of things.  Only you know what perks your creativity and keeps you motivated!

10. You really, really can't finish, don't have the time or energy even to re-paint over, or have boxes of unfinished bits and pieces? Then box them up and give them away!

Finally - Be kind to yourself, and allow art and being creative to be nurturing.  I'll let everyone know how I go following my own advice next week!

Hey - if you've read this far - thanks!  Leave a comment as I love to hear from you :-)

Music in her hair

Music in her hair. (28x30cm) Collage, watercolour, and acrylic on heavy brown paper.
The painting on the top was not quite finished, but I wanted to see what it looked like photographed.    The one on the bottom is finished.  I started by playing around with some torn pages from an old church hymnal, and gluing a few torn pieces haphazardly onto a pre-prepared page.  Then I found a couple of other small papers to add interest.  Next I penciled in a rough girl shape, and with the music theme still on my mind, and because I seem to have devoted so many hours over past weeks with my daughters music, I thought of the phrase, 'music in her hair', and wondered what the torn pieces of music flowing as if hair would look like.  This is the result.  I will probably add some distressing ink, and then glue on the words.


You know, overall, I am pleased with the result.  Sure there are things I would change, I know I need to work on my faces, and I think if I had the eyes focusing on something, the effect would be better... but this was a completely unplanned, and off the cuff.  I think I'll probably do another.


In my attempts to do a little art every day I am forcing myself to focus, to experiment; and int he process I am learning something new everytime I pick up a paint brush, pencil, or glue something down.