I Am A Warrior...Work in Progress

It's been a slow road back to the easel...moving, divorce, a new life, lack of focus, expanding my comfort zone, and simply living for today, all factors in my creative departure. As I settle in and become comfortable with who I am and what lies ahead, the creative fire is being reignited. I've noticed my thoughts returning to art, creating and purposeful pursuits instead of the distracting, time-consuming, self-defeating thinking that consumed me when I started this new journey. 

I started the painting above several years ago in Flora Bowley's online "Bloom True"
e-course. Since then it has sat in the garage with all the other rejected, partially finished paintings, quietly waiting for me to give it new life, transforming it into something Great! Using the existing painting as an under painting, I began the process of laying down color, collage and simply playing. That's the fun part - no mistakes, anything goes. 

It's a Work in Progress, just like me! 

And I'm excited by the possibilities!  

Finishing Up...Finally!

#13 in 50 Painting Series and also #2
 in Flora's Bloom True E-course

Sadly, Flora Bowley's Bloom True E-Course is over and after about 7 weeks I haven't even finished one painting. What happened? Life, I guess! Thankfully Life has resumed a normal pace again and I have been slowly pulling this painting together. My first painting underwent a re-do and is back to square one so I haven't included any photos of it yet.

I still struggle with letting go and letting the brush paint freely...I overthink and analyze everything. I have a long way to go in this intuitive process, but I am really enjoying it more than anything I've tried so far. I am going to continue in this direction and see where it leads me.  

The small flower painting below I started a while ago. I've been adding to it with leftover paint from my palette at the end of my painting sessions. I don't remember where I was headed with this pieces, but now it's getting new life in a Flora-esque way.

#14 in 50 Painting Series
10x10 inch

Work In Progress



Here's the progression of my final assignment for Wyanne's Paint Free Class (named #8 in my 50 Painting Practice Series). I was starting to become way too attached to this concept and became afraid to do anything for fear I would ruin it. So I just stood there, staring at it, not knowing what to do next. I knew it wasn't finished and thought it was looking a little boring. I want my paintings to be interesting, and this just isn't.

So I got brave and just started making marks.

Again, I stood there gazing and staring, baffled at what to do next. I spent more time just standing there than painting.  I decided to just do something, whether it's right or wrong. So I took away the abstractness (which I love) and made it cute (which I'm not so fond of)! Unsure if I ruined it, decided to put it away and come back another day when I'm less judgemental about it and see the possibilities.

So I moved on to #4. The first layer of this collage was a piece I started last spring in Paul Gardner's Mixed Media Workshop. Didn't really like it (big surprise huh?) and it just sat there waiting for me to be brave and just do something with it. So a few weeks ago I painted some designs over the first layer. Being my critical self, didn't like it, so there it sat a while longer.



 So I messed around with it a little more.

Added some statements.

Then added some really watered down paint with drips and swirls to the top. This is on watercolor paper that doesn't lay very flat anymore because of all the collage materials in it, so the watery paint pooled in certain areas where it looks muddy. The brighter circles are where I applied masking fluid and have now removed it. So there's my under painting.

Yesterday I started to play with it adding some trees, flowery pods and color. I'd like it to have a landscapey feeling, but not in the traditional sense. I want it to be more fun and interesting and not really make sense. That's hard for the left brain person I truly am!

A Few More + A Little Further

Week #14 -- RESOLVE

Just had to stop working on this since it's just a journal page and I REALLY want to get caught up. Still need to add the journaling..maybe today at the beach...supposed to be 80 degrees today in So. Cal.

Experimental background page with snowy tree partially added.

Experimental paper border on a partially finished fall tree painting. I realized I was trying to paint little tiny leave and it was taking forever + detail is not the look I want. Finally got smart and used bigger brush strokes and it made a big difference. My left brain want to paint exactly what it sees...so hard not too!

Looking a little too bold for my taste. Needs lots of work...Again my brain want to paint everything, but what I really want is a loose, painterly, free-flowing impression of the original photo. I just gotta loosen up!!!

Week #15 -- BRAVE

I'm following along with Pam Carriker's Recycled Journal Pages Strathmore Workshop and will be using her style to create this page. This is just the first step of cutting and gluing. Next steps are under journaling and charcoal shading. Can't wait to work on this one.

That's it for now!

Thanks for stopping by!