Coming back to art late in life....and LOVING IT!
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah 2019!
12/24/2019 11:57:52 AM | 1 Comment
My Holiday card is a bit different this year. There's a little story behind it.
A while back, a group of my artist friends began to issue painting "Challenges" to each other. One of the painters challenged everyone to do a self-portrait, another called for painting reflections in water. Gulp. At first being forced out of my comfort zone felt ...well...uncomfortable. Gradually, though, I began to appreciate that good things can happen when least expected. And even when the outcome wasn't so great, it was fun to stretch a bit.
Last year a challenge was issued to paint "December". Of course Santa and reindeer and snow covered meadows all came immediately to mind, but I couldn't get very excited about any of those ideas. One thing I have learned over the years is that painting something that doesn't stir the heart in some way is always a big mistake. So I let the challenge perc for a while.
And then one day, something just popped. I could see the scene and almost feel it. It wasn't holiday-like, but I had my idea. I did some quick Google searches for examples of lighted storefronts, various Holiday displays, and shopping carts. And then I just MSU, as we say in the studio. (MSU = Make Stuff Up or other obvious variations.)
"December" was and is a surprise to me. The approach and technique isn't anything like mine. The subject matter tip-toes around being maudlin...or worse, preachy. The whole thing still "challenges" me - makes me uncomfortable on several levels. Yet I like it. And I still wonder, "Where the heck did that come from"? And that's the best part of the story!
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