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.

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.

Art Tripping to Portland

The 17th painting is completed!  It has been a busy weekend.  Fellow artists Annie Henrie, Elise Wehle and I took a road trip to Oregon this weekend.   Annie needed to drop off some paintings at her gallery in Cannon Beach, so we accompanied her on the adventure.  

On the way, we explored Portland's art scene and discovered some gorgeous new painters.  Below is "Say a Prayer for the Dying" by Gabriel Liston and a landscape by Stephen Hayes.

The other great art we found was at Voodoo Doughnuts, a quirky independent doughnut shop in the heart of Portland.  I loved the topiary monster in the parking lot and their signature pink doughnut boxes.

 Other trip highlights included Multnomah Falls and the gorgeous (but very cold) Cannon Beach.  We sketched and painted by the beach.  I hope the trip inspires some beautiful art in the last remaining 26 days of the project!