Greetings Friends,
Do I make art look easy? Are you under the impression that I knock it out of the ballpark every time? Allow me to dispel that myth and show you the laborious and unglamorous side of art.
I wanted to do some pieces about grief, and decided to start with a 12 x 12-inch weaving. Weaving is an easy way in because it’s small, accessible and not messy to do.
The colors of this piece are are lovely, but it’s too structured for grief. Structure is pretty much the nature of weaving, but I hadn’t thought of that before I started. Grief is messy, and this piece is not.
After that I moved on to painting. I wanted to express the torment and turmoil of grief. I decided to throw paint from the top of a ladder onto a canvas on the floor. This was interesting until all of the colors bled into each other and created a big blob of nothing.
I hosed the piece down to remove some of the paint, which looked great until it dried. Then it just looked washed out. The piece is 36 x 48 inches.
Next I started on a painting using shoe prints. Sometimes I can’t see the forest for the trees. I get caught up in the details and lose sight of the big picture. That’s what happened here. The piece is flat with hardly any color showing through the black.
I might be able to rescue it by going back in with reds and oranges, but I risk losing the linear detail. There’s really nothing to lose at this point by trying it. This piece is also 36 x 48 inches.
These paintings are giving me grief! Art is often a challenge, which is part of what keeps it interesting. If it was easy it would quickly become boring. When things don’t work out as planned, it’s an opportunity to think creatively, stretch my mind, and try something new. I keep working on the piece until I have something I like. Or, sometimes I give up and start over. I certainly have my work cut out for me with these pieces!
What challenges you and keeps you interested? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts. You can share them with us in the comments section below.
With love and appreciation,
Cassandra
Hi Cassie! My cousin, Carole (oh how I miss her) introduced me to your paint pouring a few years ago. You are so right! Some of my pours look muddy and other turn out better than I imagined! Please keep us posted on your continued work on these projects so we can see the final outcome! Bad turned good?
Cindy from Texas
Hi Cindy. Yes, the pours can be a mixed bag. When they turn out good they’re spectacular. And other times they can be a disaster. You have to go into it with light expectations!