Back on the Horse

Forgive me loyal readers for I have, well - It's been a while since the last time I painted. In fact, I haven't painted since I took John Salminen's workshop.

Thing is, each and every time I take workshop, I get the post-workshop creative block that freezes me and disables me from painting. Not quite sure why. Perhaps it's my mind being overwhelmed by all the new information, needing some time to take it all in, process it, keep the things that will be added to my work and forget the rest. Perhaps it's because each instructor has his or her own style, which throws me off track.

It's frustrating - but I know that's how it is, so I am learning to accept it as yet another learning stage of the tortured soul of the artist (that would be moi). A bit like a larva hibernating in its cocoon in order to burst out as a much better-looking butterfly. Or somethin'.

So - last Monday I went to a demo in the other art club I belong to. It was given by an incredible artists named Jaya King, whose work I truly admire. While her paintings are mostly bleak and sometimes profoundly disturbing (which I absolutely love, as they are so emotional and full of content, rather than being pretty art), she is a very fun, funny and cool gal. I liked the painting she did, but what really got me was the amount of fun she was having while painting. She was enjoying herself soooooooo bloody much, that she caused me to miss this simple fun that comes from paining along without really caring about the result.

Came home, and announced to The JohnnyB that I am going to paint.

"It's 10pm", he informed his crazy-yet-lovely wife.

"So?", I said. "I'm gonna paint you! On Tyvek!".

Only I did not paint him. That day, I received a photo from Dinush, who's a great friend of my sister. We are now having this crazy multiple email correspondence that started when my sister finally got a computer in her house (yup, the 20th century has finally arrived!), and Dinush sent us a photo of herself acting in a play called 'Monologues', in which several actors did famous monologues from plays. I loved the photo, loved the light pattern - and it kept lurking in my mind.

WackieM once told me "Paint what excites you right now - even if you have other photos in the queue, don't wait until its turn arrives, as the enthusiasm will fade". Smart gal, WackieM - so I followed her advice and went for it. I just did it for fun, just for myself - I knew it's not going to a show (a matter of art ethics: I did take the photo, thus it's not mine). I simply had fun with it, worked and reworked it (Tyvek is soooooooooooooooooo great!!) - - -

- - - when I proudly showed the end result to The JohnnyB the morning after, he exclaimed "That's not me!". Yup He's a very perceptive guy.

I like it, Dinush liked it - and most important: I'm back in my studio, cheerfully painting along, trying to not over-analyze what I'm doing and what will be the outcome.

One thing that definitely stuck from the Salminen workshop: the white shape is starting to show up in my work. Not necessarily white, but light, And I do try to let the mouse run free...