The Creative Process
So last November I was sick. After a few visits to emergency, an angiogram and many other tests they couldn’t figure out what was wrong. However, the good news is that I got better. I can tell you I am so happy to have some energy.
I vaguely remember a bible verse from my childhood…. “I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me.” That resounds with me, I now understand its meaning. I am especially thankful to my friends who dropped by with flowers, loaded up paintings for an art show, called me and sent food and treats to help keep my spirits up. You know who you are, and I am very grateful for you. Illness is an isolating and scary time. Thank goodness I am on the road to recovery.
During my resting phase I could not get into the studio. That gave me a lot of time to think. I especially had a lot of time to sit and stare at this particular painting. I had posted about it before and most people said it was done. It was completed to a particular stage, but I like to push past that. There was something that I wasn’t quite satisfied with.
These larger paintings take a long time for me to do. I am not interested in just copying a photograph and painting a pretty picture. A lot of my process is a painful destruction and then rediscovery of the piece. Otherwise, I find that a static nature creeps into the work. i kept thinking this painting needed a few more layers.
In my head I painted it again and again. There was a push and pull to the piece. Push that back, pull that forward. The image started with the reference I took, but soon that was placed aside. How could I enhance that lovely jewel toned turquoise? What parts of the painting needed action and noise? What parts needed simplification and quiet? It was quite exciting to finally get into the studio to paint on this canvas.
In order to create an expressive piece this dialogue needs to happen. It might mean destroying a piece as you explore different ideas. It could mean that it speaks part way through, and the painting leads you to another conversation.
Everyone wants to be creative. But by its true nature that means that you could fail. In fact, as an artist you should have many glorious fails. As Neil Gaiman says,” Make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes.”
It is folly to think that everything you do will be wonderful, but if you approach your work in this way- with this open mindedness- you will sometimes achieve brilliance. I don’t know if that’s what I’ve achieved here and maybe it’s not the job of an artist to think of their paintings in this manner. I am a bit closer to where I wanted it to be.
This painting is called Sheep River Falls and is now hanging at Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond. You can go visit it in person and then tell me what you think. It is 48 x 48 inches, so one of my larger canvases.