There is nothing quite like returning to a painting after leaving off working on it for more than a week. It is like trying to reheat
a meal of leftovers - it might taste even better or it might be very
blah. I was tentative and hesitant and procrastinating yesterday
but managed to get started by deciding to work "just on the hair."
That led to some thoughts about the other side of Lyndia's
portrait which was still just underpainting. Some more daubs of
colour went on the palate and the next thing I knew I was mixing
skin tones and applying them to that unfinished side. I sat out
on my deck to do this - a wind was blowing - I had to get up to
collect my reference photo about three times as it got away from
me - but the sun was out, the temperature mild, and it just
beautiful. I think this painting has a good chance of being
completed fairly soon, but I will have to be diligent about my
frame of mind. I get depressed too easily and let that swing me
into lethargy. This is my lifelong battle. I just read an excellent
biography of Kafka, but maybe I should be concentrating on the
lives of more upbeat personalities - I related too much to his
sufferings. Life is good and I need to remember that.
It looks fantastic Karen. I love it. Very soulful. And I know exactly what you mean about battling depression. I wonder just how many artists feel like that, I would be willing to bet a whole lot. But you said it, life is good. We need to keep remembering that :)
ReplyDeleteI have read that on average "creative" people suffer from depression at a much higher rate than the normal population. It does, often, seem to go with the territory. Most of the artists I know have bouts with it, some quite regularly. I finally found help when it became extremely serious - life threatening - in my early 40's and have managed to keep it under control since then. I am able to deal with physical pain better than I can with psychic pain.
ReplyDeleteThis caught my eye last month when you posted 1/2 of it. Wonderful concept and painting!
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you on the depression. Make that Bipolar II (emphasis on depression). It's been a life-long struggle that I am just in the past few years finding peace with (I'm 57!)It does seem to go hand and hand with the creative mind. Do you ever wonder if we actually see color/form more vividly, hear music more melodically, feel poetry more profoundly because of our brain chemistry? Just something I ponder in times when it doesn't seem fair. These things may be the positive trade off!
Lovely, lovely portrait!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments on one of my blogs a few days ago. It's always so reassuring to find like-minded people.
I've been to BC several time, and absolutely loved it! Have never made it to Vancouver Island - but it's a dream of mine to do so someday. While I'm now a US citizen living in Wisconsin, I was born in Canada and have lived in Alberta and Ontario. Canada holds such a special place in my heart!
Like you, I can also relate to feeling bouts of depression, and find that I have to be in the right frame of mind to do certain types of art, or any art at all.
It's so important to remember that life IS good, and to count our blessings, isn't it?
Best wishes and warmest regards,
Angela
Yes, I agree, life is very strange!
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You mentioned Cleveland Ohio in your comment to me - my husband was born in Cleveland and still has family there. Small world!
We moved to Wisconsin from Germany (my parents were German immigrants to Canada) when I was 8, and I didn't become a US citizen until 1999. We seem to have a bit in common, don't we?
(I posted both of your original comments, since they were slightly different, but assumed you sent the second one because Blogger was acting up. I hope it's OK that both are there - you can feel free to delete one, if you like.)
So glad we've connected!
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Wow! This is looking wonderful!
ReplyDeleteRE: "the positive vs. the negative"... I make a conscious effort to put as much positive, informative, motivational and creative reading as possible into my mind. We are what we eat... we're also what we read!
Well said, Teresa, and thanks for the support from everyone! I am loving finding such a great artist community out there!
ReplyDeleteKaren, for some reason I'm just seeing this on my list a week late! I was drawn to it immediately and to what you wrote. This is an incredible piece for so many reasons. Your brush strokes are exciting. I absolutely love this. And reading Kafka might not be the best reading if one wants to stay positive, you're so right. I cannot wait to see this completed!
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