Speaking of nakedness.
In one of my early blogs, I had mentioned that one of the hardest things for me to do, and always has been, is share a work in progress. Even if someone would walk into the room when I was creating, I would tell them not to look - as if I was getting undressed or something. A lot of soul goes into my paintings, maybe I feared there was something there someone might see that I needed to hide. The beauty is, I am learning, I have nothing to hide.
I have been working away from this fear, through this blog and through asking opinions of others along the way. Right now in the painting of the "gorgeous gorge", I have been baring a lot what I don't like to share. The mess I've been feeling inside because I've let stress get to me instead of letting it go, was coming out in my painting of the falls. Even Terry, who always likes what ever I do, didn't like it. It needed a change.
I want to mention (again, if I have already) that I started "gorgeous gorge" using pallet knives. I switched to brushes when it was just not satisfying me. What works for some (paintings… people…) may not work for others. Be true to yourself and what ever you are making or doing. Your journey through it might change along the way, but you need to be passionate about it so you create a thing of beauty. Today I have been concentrating on brushstroke. Smooth, methodical, consistent brushstrokes, become almost cathartic. That and simple, unified color. Sometimes that's what it gets down to - concentrating on what is important, the small simple things, instead of getting caught up and overwhelmed by the big picture.
Here it is, my creation, which I have renamed "Living Water", with which I am now on the way to being well pleased. I'll look at it again in a few days to see if it needs tweaking. :) (click for a larger version)
