It's all Katherine Tyrrell's fault. She posted a very thought-provoking essay on her blog a few weeks back on the subject of plagiarism in art. Several Painting- a -Day Painters were under discussion. Looking at their work, I was impressed, once again, by how much progress these artists had made by hewing to that daily painting agenda that was so popular a few years ago.
I'm not interested in painting postcard-sized painting each day, but I AM interested in making progress! I came up with a scheme that has been sort of working, in which I paint a pre-selected (by me) subject each week, and I spend no more than three hours on each painting. The subjects are easy ones (seafood, still lifes, amaryllis, etc... just reasons to push paint around.) If you know how obsessive I'd become as a painter, you could guess that I wouldn't be able to finish a painting in three hours! Far from it! But, that was part of the plan. I'd just quit at the end of three hours. Then I'd start a new one the next day. No finishing means no finicking! The goal is to loosen up and just to play. These (unfinished) paintings are process, not product.
If I get enough of these under my belt, I figure I'll know where I'm going as a painter again. It's been way too long since I painted in a sustained and sustaining way. I'm a toddler in the studio again... and you know what, it's fun. Who knows where I'll end up?
Here and above are a few I've produced over the past weeks. They're acrylic on 11" x 14" gessobord. Remember, they are UNFINISHED!:
In addition to painting, I've been working in my garden! I will post more on this topic in a couple of weeks when the garden is in its first wave of seasonal glory. Here are two peeks:
*Part 2 of today's title refers to a post I made a few weeks ago about preferring process over product in my journal, on Kate Johnson's wonderful blog, a spinoff of her upcoming wonderful book.
In the spirit of that post, I give you today's journal page:
I love your painting strategy Laura. And the paintings. Keep it up!
Posted by: Chuck Rose | May 31, 2011 at 07:07 AM
Thanks, Miss Kate. Product WILL come, but just not now. And while they're not huge paintings, I wouldn't have called them "wee," either. At 11" x 14" they're just about big enough to handle decent swipes with a good sized paintbrush, unlike many of the Painting A Day pieces. I find the teeny tiny format too confining.
Posted by: Laura | May 10, 2011 at 09:33 PM
I just keep visiting your marvelous wee paintings...LOVING that concept and though the intent is process not product, the product is still stunning...
Posted by: Cathy Johnson (Kate) | May 10, 2011 at 07:13 PM
Thanks for your comments! Now that you mention it, my plan does seem a little contradictory, but it is getting me back to painting, so that's what matters. Sandra, not sure what is the matter, but hope it gets worked out soon!
Posted by: Laura | May 07, 2011 at 07:14 AM
Love the paintings and sketches, and what a fabulous peek into your garden! Does make me envy our neighbors to the south sometimes -- we're much later bloomers in Connecticut!
Posted by: Suma CM | May 07, 2011 at 06:17 AM
Thank you for writing on this subject. I too have been working on "process not product." It is work, but at times effortless.
Your post "My big Fat black journal" is great! Your work is inspirational in all forms.
I ordered "The New Diary" and can't wait for it's arrival.
Beautiful sketches and garden, by the way!
Posted by: Kris Wiltse | May 04, 2011 at 03:02 PM