Snippets of an Artist's Life
Originally posted on Art of Quotation: ? “Studio Ghosts: When you’re in the studio painting, there are a lot of people in there with you – your teachers, friends, painters from history, critics… and one by one if you’re really painting, they walk out. And if you’re really painting YOU walk out.” Philip Guston, painter
Painting every day has great benefits. It improves my painting for one. It’s a great habit and feels good like any regular exercise, and I miss it if I miss a day. Completing a daily painting gives a sense of accomplishment too, which feels good—if it doesn’t get washed down the drain. Not every painting is a keeper after all.
Sometimes the daily paintings make it hard to find time to work on larger paintings, which all of a sudden seem like an enormous task. But so it goes and I have started an 18×24″ for an upcoming show. Shows are great for goal setting.
Some artists start with the darks. Some work back to front. Some paint alla prima (wet-on-wet). Others paint in layers waiting for each layer to dry. I’ve learned all of this and tried all of this and I don’t think about any of it any more.
I get in a zone where I don’t think, I just do. I’m sure all those things I learned come through when I need them (or not). I just keep painting ’til I’m happy with it.
Here’s what I’m working on. I love the way glass and light react and dance with each other. So I’m looking at these bottles with sunlight reflecting and passing through and how it happens. Here we go…
Here’s the drawing and transfer to the canvas.
I decided to paint the first 2 bottles in their complementary colors. They will eventually be green.
To be continued…
andreajeris 