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Friday Figure Study

Does life exist beyond the 30 Paintings in 60 Days project?  I am happy to say that yes, it does!

I have been working hard on a couple of commissions (more on those soon).  Also, each week I will posting a Friday Figure Study.  This morning Annie Henrie and I attended the King's Cottage open studio session with a live model.  Painting from life is much more challenging than using a photograph, but it is also much more fun.  Sometimes the model shifts or moves... or sometimes it feels impossible to get the proportions right.  Today I enjoyed studying the warms, cools, and breaking up the figure into broad planes.  This is something my favorite figure painters do.  Here are two figure paintings that have inspired me--from Mark Tennant, left, and Alex Kanevsky, right.

Elise Wehle is still going strong on her 60 days.  This painting is 22.  It is one of my favorites so far.  It reminds me of Paris.

I have also been revamping my Etsy shop!  Check out the new prints and paintings.

60 Days: A Reflection

The last 60 days has been a whirlwind of activity.  As many of you know, artists Elise Wehle, Annie Henrie and I took up the challenge to create 30 pieces of artwork in 60 days.  I happy to say that I am finally finished!

 The 60 days were at enjoyable, and at times exhausting and difficult.  The majority of paintings were 8" x 8" or 8" x 12", and these were more manageable to complete in time.  It was the larger paintings that posed a huge challenge.  I spent a few sleepless nights painting until the sun rose.  Read on to see what I have learned that I need to remember for the future.  

Lessons To Remember:

Paint Every Day.

Before this project, I thought it was difficult to find time each day to paint.  Yet once I made painting a priority, there was no opportunity to skip out on painting.  I simply had to.  You would think this would hinder my creativity and make painting a burden.  Instead, I relished the fact that I HAD to paint each day.  Even if a piece didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, I loved the experience of manipulating the paint, building up layers, creating textures and pulling compelling images from nothing.  Of course, at times I grew sick of painting.  On those days I only painted for a small amount of time.  Other days I painted more than 8 hours straight.

Be Disciplined.

If I don't paint, the painting won't complete itself.  If I procrastinate, I will only end up being miserable.  It is better to be disciplined and plan ahead to set aside blocks of time for solid painting so things get done.

Let Go.

As an perfectionist, it was always hard for me to say an artwork was "complete".  Having a strict deadline helped me let go of a work and love it as it is.  Often times the most beautiful parts of a painting are the parts that are left unpainted.  

Make It As Fun As Possible.

The more fun it is to make art, the easier it will be.  While painting, I listened to audio books, podcasts, and good music.  I chatted on the phone with friends and family.  While one part of my brain was focused on  mixing the perfect color, or applying the paint just so, the other part was enjoying conversation or listening.  Of course, during certain stages of a painting I couldn't be doing anything else--while I was planning, making critical decisions on composition or subject matter.

The Show

The 60 Days of Painting show will open in Salt Lake City on August 1st and the opening reception will coincide with gallery stroll on Friday, August 16 from 6 to 9 pm.  It is still a ways away, but mark your calendars!   I will continue to post often, so pop in to see what new paintings I will be working on.  Also be sure to check out my work available on Etsy.

I Love To Hear From You!

Finally, I would love to hear what you think of the project!  What is your favorite piece?  What do you think of what I learned?  If you are an artist, is this a challenge you would like to take on?  Thank you for being here with me on the journey.

29 Paintings Down

29 paintings down!  The 29th is pictured below.  

Right now I am working hard to finish #30--this huge painting with a dragon fruit.  I am currently taping off sections to protect them from future drips and splashes.  Also pictured above is a figure painting from an open figure session that Annie Henrie and I attended this week.

Below is Elise Wehle's most recent piece, Behind Scenes.  I love the raw feel where pattern meets figure.

The 28th Painting

On the 28th painting!  This little one was a gem to paint.  

In addition to painting, I helped artist Annie Henrie make huge paper flowers for a spring garden party.  

Elise Wehle's latest artwork is also connected to the season--the hands of a gardener at work.

Roaming Free

This weekend, my husband took me to Antelope Island, the largest of ten islands that dot the Great Salt Lake.  We saw coyote, pronghorn, and buffalo roaming over the islands's hills.  I love painting animals--foxes, peackocks, moose, owls.  This newest painting is my first painting of a stag.  Since I would like it to be a surprise at the 60 Days Art Show, here is only a collage of cut images from the painting:

Elise Wehle and I must be on the same wavelength since her most recent piece is also depicts a stag:

Summer Sunset

Summer is here in Salt Lake City, so I warmed up my color palette today.  

Sunset-lit feathers and broken shapes are a fun change from painting flowers.  

I love Elise Wehle's newest piece.  

It reminds me of how many emotions and memories we carry in our hands.