It is with joy and relief that I announce the final completion of this painting which I began two years ago! The plant was added because the image felt sterile, cold, and uninviting. My client wanted this particular plant to be used and the challenge was to keep it from overwhelming the subjects, what with it's fronds sticking out all over and the Christmas decorations of ribbon, wires,berries, and pine cones adding to the mix. I eliminated some of that stuff and changed the plant's
profile a bit. My first attempt was a disaster but after spending some semi-hysterical time considering the possibility of just destroying the entire painting I came to my senses and attacked the problem with more planning and care. I worked from the berries out, in increments, doing only small areas in a painting session. The moment my toes started to curl (my personal reaction to being overwrought and overwhelmed) I would stop. I even came to enjoy concentrating on the separate fronds, twigs, berries, and cones, allowing that to be the entire painting in my mind.
Now that it is finally completed I hope to hear soon from my client, who lives in Spain, when and where to ship it off and I will never have to see it again.
Hey Karen, thanks for saying hi. I've dropped by tyour blog a couple of times without commenting as I was a bit embarrassed I didn't make it into town to see your show at the grotto. I didn't make it to Courtenay for a month and a half or more! Very busy, and also trying to get up the mountain to xcski and to CR to climb at the gym when I got a chance. (To stay sane during the gloom.) I missed a number of shows.
ReplyDeleteHope you're well, and the injury healed up, sorry about the recent disapointments, but you seem to keep them in perspective; there are so so many artists out there that a cull is being contemplated by the ministry of culture and wildlife management, apparently. The main thing is your work; this latest post is spectacular for the genre,hope the client(s) are very happy. They should be! Also love your the looser more personal work down below.