My relationship with my current painting is in turmoil. I need to break away from it for a minute or two. It's just not.... working out. It's not the painting, it's me. I'm realizing that I'm simply not currently great at backgrounds. The same thing happened with the paining of my brother this fall. As soon as I let go of trying to have a background; voila, fell together with ease.
To clear the frustration and hesitation I felt a deep need to paint something else, and it came with great ease. From cutting and stretching the canvas to hanging it on the wall it took 2 1/2 hours. The process of this painting felt amazing....
This is a different sort of posture, and emotional one. It represents how this painting has been making me feel. I'm going to do what I can not to give up on the other painting. I just need to find the key to understanding what I'm missing.
This is where it currently stands....
The reasons I why I'm determined to find the right path with this painting....
Anyone have any notions or advise on what I'm missing?
There is something in your paintings that remind me of Alex Katz. Remember that huge painting we saw by him at the PMA? Your paintings are very different then his but still something makes a connection for me. I like that sometimes in his portraits he adds a background and sometimes he does not - just a solid block of color. I've added some links below - I like that some backgrounds are more detailed then others. Maybe try working from a photographic portrait where the background is as important as the person. You've probably just been so focused on faces that you're trying to make up the backgrounds in your mind which might be a tricky way to begin trying to do something new...a few thoughts...love, Cozette
ReplyDeletePs. Love the new painting, the emotion is spot on, I feel it!
http://whitney.org/Collection/AlexKatz/6437
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e9/Alex_Katz%27s_1970_painting_of_his_son_%27Vincent_with_Open_Mouth%27.jpg
http://www.bethurdanggallery.com/exhibitions/katz_2010/
Not answering your query- as I'm not sure what's needed-
ReplyDeleteJust wanting to say how emotionally connected your self-portrait feels. I appreciate deeply how I can feel you as if we are in the middle of a conversation that has just taken a short pause...
Thank you for this moment.
Love,
Lisa