Mental Floss

I can finally see what I would like the background to be in my latest painting, but I'm having a difficult time translating it to the canvas. Rather than erupt in frustration I decided to deviate for a moment.

I've been wanting to edit, so I decided to take twenty minutes and I shot some footage around my apartment and cut it together. It always a surprise to me that a story unfolds when I do these....

Okay, back to trying to portray waves in space and time.....

returning to color

I worked on my newest painting a little bit this week. I went to the Boston MFA to see their Degas exhibit over the weekend and well, inspiration isn't the word for what I took away from it, affirmation is more appropriate. I noticed that in most of his work, there was a focal point which he focused on greatly, with great detail and then everything else appeared much looser, almost as if he simply felt obligated to paint the rest of it. I often find myself doing something very similar. I took this attitude with me as I sat with this recent canvas.... 

 I don't think there is any debate that the foot is the focal point... then the hands look more like chicken paws. I have a lot of attention to give what I have already worked on, but I'm very happy with it thus far. I'm a little hesitant to move forward in fear of not being as content with it.

At this point I'm wondering what to do for a background. I have a plethora of thoughts floating around but nothing is sticking and forming into an idea.

Also, if you look between the arm and leg, where the chest ends, there appears to be an image of a face in the canvas. The only thing I've done there is put some white over stray sketch marks. I definately see my face in it though. I'm wondering if I should add my face.....

my Degas approach

For years I have looked at Impressionist art with disinterest. After visiting the Barnes Foundation last spring something shifted. Though I still haven't felt any sort of awe when looking at a Renoir or general still-lives, an intrigues has risen. Primarily in their execution of skin tone, especially Degas.

The project that I have been idling towards fuses my love for art history with my paintings. I intend to study the style and techniques of artists then apply the theory to my own approach. I've decided to start with a self-portrait with the hope that I won't get too hung up on accuracy on the initial embark into the project. For this portrait I have chosen Degas.

Degas is famous for his paintings of the ballerinas and capturing a fleeting moment. The moment is not captured with quick strokes, everything was studied and methodically executed. As he experimented with techniques he also returned to using mediums that had fallen out of fashion such as pastels. He also experimented with how to frame the subject. All of these nuances interest me and hope that someday someone may say the same about me. It seems like a natural fit.

Rather that dress in a tutu, I have decided to paint myself in a different sort of fleeting moment, a yoga posture. Yoga is a significant part of my life and I have been having a difficult time to balance my yoga studies and my painting. I seem to go through phases of one or the other. In attempt to forge this balance, I shall incorporate yoga into my Degas approach....   here is my initial sketch....

Not what you were expecting is it...