Gutting It Out

"Mountainside Storm" by DJ oil painting on mat board 24x16

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

There is a conclusion that all creatives need to reach at some point. Some of us get there slowly, feeling our way through the maze. Some of us know it intuitively, arriving faster, and getting on with it.
What conclusion?
The knowledge that, no matter how many books you read, no matter how many classes you take, no matter how much research you do, no matter how many motivators or creative coaches you listen to,
there comes a POINT when you have to DRAG YOUR SORRY CARCASS INTO THE STUDIO and
just GUT IT OUT.
You have to actually put the pen to paper. Turn on the music and take the dance step. Focus the camera and click. Or put paint on the palette and slap it onto the canvas.
You have to wrestle with your mistakes, face your truths, and scrape off the paint, paint over the lessons learned, and do it again.
>Warning: Severe weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth may occur during this process.<
You have to make crappy paintings and do some little nothing pieces, over and over and over....to get to the good stuff.
The stuff that you actually want to do. For yourself.
So, yeh, I'm struggling just to get into the studio for an hour. And, it shows.
But you know what? I'm still fighting. I'm gutting it out.
Last night, I wrote a brief artist statement for Summer 2009. Then I read an artist statement from Summer 2008. BIG DIFFERENCE.
It's called growth.
Yay for guts.
Now, Go make something.
Love & Laughter,
DJ

Awesomely Super Art Swap!

There is much excitement at Coach Creative Space due to the arrivals of the Summerlicious ATC Swap treasures. I had so much fun hosting this ATC Swap, and you can see why in this discussion thread where the lovelies are displayed. There were twenty swappers who created yummy visions of summer loveliness for fellow CCSers. I love the individual interpretation of the summer theme, and the variety of media used to create the art. Please consider joining us for the next swap.
CCS was begun by the awesomely sensitive and effective creativity coach, Dan Goodwin, and is an encouraging environment for beginners as well as experienced artists, writers, musicians, dramatists, dancers, seamstresses, sculptors, and creatives of all media. Many of the members have found this community non-competitive, loving,and accepting, meeting friends around the world with similar interests. The groups there give you the opportunity to share your work without fear of criticism or rejection.
Most members, including myself, report that their creative production rate has increased exponentially, they find themselves exhibiting or being published, and creative blocks have disappeared since joining Coach Creative Space. I know:I'm one of them! Click here to visit my CCS page and view videos, photos of my sketchbooks, CCS blog entries, and more.
Love & Laughter,
DJ

In Just a While...

Readers, I have to go out of town on business for the rest of the week. Don't think I'll have internet access. Withdrawal symptoms already setting in...
See you soon with more art and stuff. Keep creating, writing, and being wonderful.
Above are some journal pages. Below are a couple of snaps of a miniature wire chair created at a workshop a couple of years ago.
Have a great week!
DJ

An Awesome Read...

I was visiting the new blog of my fellow CCSer, Jo, which is named "Gathering Wild" and enjoyed her poignant sharing of an important relationship honored by a box of crayons. Well written and worth a visit. Enjoy the scent of an old and new box of crayons...

PJ's Giveaway!

The talented Folk Artist, PJ Hornberger, over at PJ's Talking is having a One Year Blogging Anniversary Giveaway on June 29th! She's giving away your choice of a print of her lovely folk art OR a workshop on her Ning Group, PJ's Art House. You can comment here to enter the giveaway of this sweet lady who does beautiful and whimsical art work as well as generous video instruction. Check it out!

End of Week One & "Weak Too"...LOL!

^~Palette Knife Landscape V by DJ 16x20 Oil on Canvas May 2009
Hi, Kids!
Above is the result of the final hours of my five hours in Week One.
A departure from the ocean shores of the first four, yes. In content and technique. More impasto and complementary underpainting, to boot.
Weak Too accomplishments?
You guessed it: Nada. Zilch. Nothing. Lemme spell it out for you:
The. Last. Week. of. School. Before. Summer. Break.
Now you know. Exams. Drama. Pleading. Picking up portfolios. Cleaning. Sheesh.
But, hey, it's officially Summer! Time to paint. Time to breathe. Time to have the luxury of choices.
Whee.
Hey, did you see what my adorable DH did in "comments" for the last post? Gotta love a man like that...We just celebrated our 8th Anniversary...Prolly contributed to my not getting into the studio, also, if the truth be told...LOL!
Happy Summer, Everyone! Grab that paintbrush! Dip it in paint! Apply to surface!
There you go!
Love & Laughter,
DJ

Week One of the Studio Challenge...WHEE!

V~Palette Knife Landscape I by DJ 16x20 Oil on Canvas May 2009

V~Palette Knife Landscape II by DJ 16x20 Oil on Mat Board May 2009

V~Palette Knife Landscape III by DJ 16x20 Oil on Canvas May 2009

V~Palette Knife Landscape IV by DJ 16x20 Oil on Canvas May 2009


I'm happy: I'm painting.
The first palette knife painting was done on a Monday night two weeks before this Studio Challenge, and Monday night, May 25th, I started painting a second palette knife landscape that's turned into a series.
So, it's apparent that Monday nights are high energy level nights for me. I'm rested from the weekend, and not too bogged down in the brain with work responsibilities. Yay. So, look for those times when you're high energy for best productivity in the studio or at the work table.
I made an adjustment to the first painting, and may make adjustments to the more recent paintings posted here. Taking photos enables you to see color and value relationships a bit more objectively, but beware that cameras may pick up on a certain hue group and tint your composition. I have two other photos: a blue version of the first painting, and a green version of the same. My relatively inexpensive camera "read" the overall hue and that's what it saved. So, when photographing your work, check on this.
All of these paintings were done with a palette knife in oils on either canvas or mat board. There were no preliminary sketches done, so all compositions were rendered as work progressed. There were no photographic references; just the making of landscapes that derived from my imagination. Decision-making can be fun when you're in a work zone of applying paint in a physical movement that makes you happy.
For example, it took me thirty minutes to apply the sky in painting 2. I was having a great time listening to music and swiping that palette knife across the canvas. Getting those smooth gradations with a palette knife is not as easy as it may look to the untrained eye. But it's fun for some of us art nerds who have oil paint under our nails. Paintings 2 & 3 were done in about an hour 1/2, and painting 4 was done in about an hour. So, that's two 1/2 hours of studio time I have left for this weekend! Woohoo!
Forgive the boring titles, but I'm too excited about getting them out there on canvas. Titles will come later, after I've lived with them for a while. And, yes, I know that in most of these so-called "landscapes," there's more sky and sea than land, so they may be renamed seascapes or skyscapes. All in good time, my friend...
All reactions welcome, negative or positive - I can take it.
Please leave a comment, so I don't have to bug my sweet DH for feedback.:-)
Love & Laughter,
DJ