My Mural Project Pieces

"Supersized Sunny Greeting" 32"x36" acrylics on wood

I agreed to be a part of this project with Wishing Spring Gallery (one of three galleries carrying my work), partly because I felt I would be needing a swift kick in the gumption so I can get my art going this year.  Thank God I knew where my acrylic paints are and a couple decent brushes.  If I had to paint in oils I wouldn't know where or how to find all my things and I certainly cannot afford to be buying more.  I wasn't expecting my "murals" to be due until end of April but they notified me I had to get them done by April. ACK!

So I hunkered down and decided I'd get them done this week.  I think I learned something about myself in this process because of the two pieces done quickly in a week.  Apparently, I have to stare at a blank surface for a day and anguish over what, who, how to paint.  I go to bed very stressed and disappointed about not committing to anything!  I tend to love to paint MANY things and can express them in various ways I've studied so it's not easy.  I'm a true lover of art and their processes.

Finally about halfway through the second day, the brush hits the surface.  As you can see here, I'm still thinking.  But at least I'm thinking with evidence now.  I read on Facebook, "Dwell in possibility"~Emily Dickinson.  Indeed I do.  I am a firm believer that what's immediately available is not necessarily the best thing.  Or the first, second or third things are not necessarily enough.  When I play Scrabble, I don't celebrate when I play all my tiles and get extra 50 points.  When I play regularly I average getting Scrabble about 3 times.  My game is feeling like I can see the other side of what I thought was the complete scenario.  I like discovering new worlds and getting intimate with them.

Photo by Scott A. Nelson

My husband took this photo this morning.  It's Saturday and he was fast asleep.  So I got up early anyway because I wanted to finish my painting today.  That's the reason why I'm still in my nightgown, I didn't want to wake him up.  But hours later he got up and snapped this photo hahaha  Well that's my story and I'm sticking with it!

"Resource Light and Life" 32"x36" acrylics on wood

Ahhhh so they're both done now and I'm so happy!  I feel I played with Vinny (Van Gogh) and Pabs (Picasso)!  I did channel them to play with me as I do when I feel I need a little more help. For instance when I feel I could use more confidence in a situation, I channel Madonna who I imagine would walk into any room with no apologies for being herself.  I thank Vinny for his sense of playfulness with texture and colors.  I thank Pabs for simplifying complicated passages and making the process a lot more like play than work!  I wish I could adopt the playful feeling in all my art processes.  I tend to over think in my representational work.  So though I am doing what I love, I can't quite say "I've never worked."  Is that bad? 

I hope these contemporary pieces will prove to be good contributions to the gallery.