This is an oil painting that I’ve been working on but this afternoon I decided to wipe it off. I had expected to be able to wipe the whole painting off with a rag dipped in turp but not all of it came off. Instead of getting my palette knife and scraping when I got to this point, I decided to stop. I think there is something beautiful about the ghost image of the painting I had. It certainly moves me more than the painting I just did, which is why I got out the turp in the first place! So, perhaps all is not lost after all. I’m not sure how I’ll complete this and make it into something I would consider a completed painting, but I will experiment and see what I can come up with.
Next week is Spring Break for us and it’s my birthday so my husband is taking me to NYC to visit museums for the week. Both our children have their own trips planned for the first time so it’ll be some nice time with just my husband. I’ve been making a plan of attack so we can get to all the big art museums. I would love to go to the Met, the Frick, the Guggenheim, Central Park, H&M (great clothing store which we don’t have here in Texas), and some good restaurants. Not fancy expensive ones, just good ones. I am sure I’ll come back inspired and unstoppable in front of the easel! The perfect birthday present for an artist!
It’s going to be interesting to see what you do with this. I think that you are right that it has a special quality about it.
Happy birthday, Joan! Enjoy your trip to NYC. Sounds like a LOT of fun! Take a look at Linda Applegate’s blog. She and a friend spent 2 days there and she has a blog that tells of all the galleries they saw. You can go to my blog for a link.
I do love the way this looks wiped back to its beginnings. Lovely.
Have a wonderful time in the Big Apple!
Isn’t it interesting that sometimes our initial marks have the most power (until we go and muck around with them!).
Your previous portraits are just so beautiful! You inspire me to try some figures again one of these days.
Have a wonderful trip!! Look forward to hearing about it.
I find this to be beautiful and intriguing. It doesn’t feel unfinished to me. Just different, but valuable.
I hope you have a wonderful trip. Happy birthday. 🙂
Linda, Elizabeth, Karen and Dar,
Thank you all so much for your kind wishes for my trip to NYC and my birthday. Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment.
Joan
gadzooks—you are right–this is fantastic just where it is. What a good painting -well, a scroll through your blog is a true treat for the eyes! I am linking to you! 🙂