Remembering what works

 The most incredible thing about the internet is, you can just surf around and get inspired by all the Artists out there who are doing things you admire.  The down side in a way is that you realize how many talented Artists are out there, and you can feel like getting noticed will be difficult at best.  Making a living in art has always been difficult, and when I see how many Artists are represented, it seems to me that the market is pretty flooded.  The up side is that once you start to feel like you are making the work you can show, you can get it out there instantly.   Anyway, I was doing some research for my next painting, which I've decided will be an urban scene.  A couple of clicks later, I found some fantastic paintings that I can use as a spring point for inspiration and composition reference.  Then I looked up one of my own paintings that I liked to remind myself how I treated the street lights.  This Woodstock painting came out succesful because I was able to get the transition of intensity to work.  More later on this.  By the way, one of my favorite artists (so far) when it comes to urban Landscapes is Jeremy Mann.  I will get some links in later, but for now I have to go.

Not finished but...Next...New Subject.

 Editors Note:    I'm inserting this in the first part of my entry because I forsee some helpful hints coming my way.  I should first point out that I wasn't finished with this painting.  I realize the sky has more detail than the foreground, which gives it a problem with depth and cohesion.  I was going to work on the foreground next.   I welcome comments, but at this point I'm not going further with this painting because of time constraints...


 Original Post;
I spent the better part of a morning trying to fix what I thought was wrong with this painting.  For a painting that has a dominating sky, there wasn't enough "drama" if you will.  I inserted some dark clouds at the top and thought about adding more.  But I got to the point that I really wasn't interested in the topic anymore.  To me, the subject itself didn't keep me interested.  The top painting is more what I would have wanted.  That's a cropped version and the camera picked up some interesting patterns that I don't see in the original. The color variations are a little different.  I would consider the top painting (in its presentation here) to be more successful than the second photo of the exact same painting below. Of course, in my hurry to blog, the second photo is blurry (once again) and as a result ends up looking much less professional.  I don't dislike this painting, and I don't consider it a total failure.  It just doesn't move me when I look at it.
I haven't finished putting in some of the grass in front and bringing in more of the contrast.  But for now, I have more pressing needs.  I need to present some finished paintings for my new project.  I don't think this will end up being one of them.
   Having said that, we all know that when someone stops worrying about a painting, they often can come back and somehow make it work .

I thought I should post something on this painting since I started with it, but encouragement is not what I'm looking for today.  I need to move forward.  Gotta go.

  

It does suffer a bit from the two in one problem at the is point.  The sky is not matching up with the ground quite yet.  The dimensions of the canvas are not really to my liking for this scene.

New Beginnings and Traditional subjects

I guess I should mention that this painting is on canvas, and I'm working in Acrylic.

That tornado on the right is unintentional.  I sprayed water on the painting and the drip created that . It clearly doesnt belong here.  Maybe in another ....not a bad idea.

Looking a little stiff and plain.  I need to step it up somehow.

Part of the reason I haven't blogged in a while is my camera has decided to drop me as a partner.  It won't let me take many pictures, and when it does, it is reluctant to allow me to download them.  In any event, I took these blurry dark pics of my current project.   A traditional landscape.  I don't know how I feel about this one yet.  I do know that there is a nagging desire to change the shape of my  canvas to a taller elongated  shape.  The effect of the sky seems much stronger in the reference photo.  And I have wanted to create the elongated painting for some time now.   I haven't added any paint to the barn on the right yet and haven't filled in the foreground.  I  kind of like the more impressionistic color swatches in the first stages, but they don't quite fit with the rest of the background.

B Squared Coffed Haus and Wine Bar

Getting Closer:  After a couple of days of scrambling to get 7 paintings framed, I am finally ready to hang them at the B Squared Coffee Haus.  I have to remember that unless I paint in specific sizes, I will have to wait 2 to 3 weeks to get my paintings framed.   I had to crop some of these paintings in order to get them to fit in the pre-made wood frames.  Luckily, the only frame color I needed was black, since my supplier carries that and natural wood.  I haven't looked into other frame shops much, but I am pretty loyal to the I've Been Framed Art supply and framing store.  They cater to the working and aspiring artist and their prices and helpfulness can't be beat.    More later...

I painted a large version of the Summer Lightning Painting for the B Squared Coffee Haus. I'm in the process of mounting it on Gator Board.  Trying to figure out how I can hang this.  I wasn't able to find cradle board to fit the 22 X 42 size on short notice. 

My mat cutter served me well for all of these paintngs.  I was able to cut them to very specific sizes to fit the pre-made frames. 

Friday: More on the Passion for painting...

Here is the mostly (deja vue) finalized self portrait.   Once again I'm limited in time so I have to scribble down this entry and run.
Lately I'm wondering how committed I actually am to my art.  I'll let a painting sit for weeks without doing much of anything to it, even though I feel drawn to act.  I think at this point a full time artist would classify me as a hobbyist.  It is probably not fair to those who work every day of their lives to create works of art if I call myself an Artist.  But I will admit that I do consider myself an artist...only I am not full time.  This is  somewhat like golf, which by the way has been competing for my time.  I am a golfer, but I don't spend every day golfing.
 Some people spend their entire lives devoted to creating fine works of art without regard to fame or money. They have a passion for it.  They are driven towards the goal of creating something great.
I don't see myself as ever making the jump to the "devotion at all costs status".  Firstly,  I need a certain amount of money to be comfortable.  Not a lot, but enough to pay bills, feed myself and do what I want without a ton of worry.  I decided this years ago.  I did not like the idea of being a starving artist.  The bitter, melancholy type who spurns the "dominant paradigm". Secondly, I like doing other things with my time.  I like having variety in my life.  That includes ridiculous things like chasing a little white ball around a well- groomed pasture and knocking it into a little hole.
Ultimately, my goal is to become a full-time artist  when I retire.  I know creating art is in my blood.  And that need to create will never go away.  I have been given that gift and I can't squander it.
   So even though I haven't been acting on my instincts to paint lately, they are there. They are there every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to bed.
So I am asking myself today.  Does this instinct qualify as passion if I don't find time to act on it?  And at this point, looking at the question typed out in front of me, the answer I hear is...no.  And the word 'squander' pops into my head.  More later.

What, this again?  About time...

So here it is Friday, a day after that above post.  I want to be clear that I wasn't looking for encouragement or advice when I posted that information, although I do appreciate those things.
Years ago I had a problem getting to work on time.  I would get there and tell my friend and co-worker why I was late and apologize.  Finally one day he said something  that has stuck with me to this day.  "Kevin, I don't want to hear any of your bull-s--t excuses".  We are friends to this day.  It took me awhile to come around, but I eventually figured out how to get to work on time.
Years before, someone used the old expression "excuses are like (you know whats), everyone has one".  That has also stuck with me.  No one really wants to hear your excuses.  Either do it or don't.
I know that I procrastinate.  I get easily side-tracked.  So when I looked at the painting yesterday, I had to be honest with myself.  Why has it taken so long to finish this?  Yes, it was important to take my time, but I could have had this done weeks ago had I set aside a small amount of time.  So I have to evaluate how much time I have to dedicate to what I love doing.  Because no one knows how much time is left.  And I have many more paintings left to do.
Some of  the concerns I have when I do have the opportunity to paint full-time.  Will it dog me?  Will I feel pressed to get something done? How can I schedule my creativity?  I don't want this to feel like a job. 
That's enough for today.  I have to start the next painting.