This is a 9″x12″ oil on canvas. I dug out some old photos I took of a ballerina that modeled for me a while back, she has since moved away unfortunately. But I’m glad I still have the photos I took of her.
I am trying to break away from the way I normally paint and paint more intuitively. I’m not sure exactly how to explain what I’m doing (most likely because I don’t know exactly what I’m doing), but anyway, I’m trying to paint my response to the subject and not just what I see. One of the ways, and I’m sure there are many, to translate how I respond to a subject is with color. So that’s where I am now, trying to use color to express how a subject feels to me. As I get more proficient with color expression I’ll move onto the next form of expression on a canvas and I’m not even sure what that is right now.
I just realized that the name I chose for this painting is pretty basic, maybe even boring. If I’m going to get outside my comfort zone and paint more intuitively, I’ll need to come up with some more creative names for my paintings. Reminds me of the time I painted three chicken paintings and called them “Chicken No. 1”, “Chicken No. 2” and yup, “Chicken No. 3”.
On another note today I hung my paintings at St. Lukes United Methodist Church. All 30 of them and it took 1 1/2 hours. Thankfully the woman in charge of the art shows at the church was there to help me the whole time. It was a lot more work than I thought, which is usually the case.
On the drive over to the church I started questioning whether doing these local shows is the best way to sell my work. It sure takes a lot of time and effort to get everything framed and then store the framed pieces in between shows. Naturally I think being in a gallery would be the best way to sell my paintings but 1.) I know that’s not the perfect answer and 2.) until I have enough consistent work to approach a gallery, I need another plan. So I thought about trying to sell some work on the internet, it might be worth a try. Most of the local shows take 25 or 30% of the selling price of the piece, and by the time I take out what I paid for frames, there isn’t much left. I might be able to sell my work on the internet and save myself a lot of running around to boot. I’ll give it some more thought.
After spending all morning and into the afternoon preparing for the show and hanging it, I went to the printer and picked up my Easter cards. Seeing that shrink wrapped package of all those freshly printed cards made me so happy!
This is beautiful, Joan! I’m glad, too, that you have photos of this model. I like your color response, especially with all the colors in her white dress. The warms and cools in her skin are lovely. Looking forward to seeing all your forms of expression!
Wow, wonderful! ~ the dancer, & the lilies! (very intuitive).
Happy Easter!
Joan, first the painting – it’s wonderfully expressive and you really do seem to have let your intuition guide you in terms of paint handling and colour. It’s beautiful. But as someone who is also trying to work more intuitively I sympathise with the effort it takes. And yet once we start it seems to be the best way to go if we can pull it off! Good luck with your church show. Yes, these local shows take time, effort and money (esp. in terms of framing) and because it’s local the pieces can’t be priced too highly. It’s a problem. Hope it goes well for you anyway.
Linda, thank you for visiting and leaving such a nice compliment!
Joan
Jill, thank you for your compliments. Happy Easter to you too.
Joan
Hi Sheila, painting intuitively is something new, I feel I first had to learn to paint by the rules before I could let go of that. But doing it in that order is just my nature.
Yes, the show. We will see how it goes and I will be sure and write about it. I suppose there is no easy answer to selling art . . .
Joan
She is so beautiful, so softly glowed. Lovely! Have a wonderful weekend!
Wonderful
Your work is always terrific, Joan… I love these dancers.
Thanks for talking about your thoughts on what and how to move ahead with your work and your marketing… I think putting the thoughts into words helps us all as much as it helps you!