I've Been a Busy Bee
This is mostly a show and tell this week. I've been sequestered away many hours this month painting, in preparation for my September show at the Benicia Plein Air Gallery (reception is Saturday, September 9th, 4-6 pm!). Finding time in the mornings. Doing some in the evening. Doubling down (literally, doing two paintings at once- working on one while the wash dries on the other) when I have unscheduled time on the weekend. I don't think I've ever painted so much in my life. It's probably somewhere around 20 hours a week on average, for the month. I'm at 23 paintings (including 2 throw-aways that didn't make it to the wall) for the month so far. I anticipate coming close to 30.
The show will include 10-12 new paintings for the main area, as well as an assortment of older pieces that will fill out additional areas in the gallery. Many of these are studies, some plein air, and some in the studio. Some were ideas that went no where. Some I know will take a great deal more experimentation and learning to complete to my satisfaction, and so are being put away for now. Others are actually completed and will be in the show. A few others are almost there, and will probably be repainted atleast once more to really try and nail it.
It's been exhausting but fun. One thing for sure though- when I'm painting this much this regularly, I'm really not bothered about trying something out just to see what it does. I know I've got more coming down the line, so the fear of failure is greatly reduced. I am, however, burning through paper and pigment like nobody's business! Ha!
As always, I tape them up the wall and assess them, critique their strengths and weaknesses, and get outside input from my wife and visitors. Coming back later to view the work again and again can open you up to new approaches and things you might fix. Other times, things that greatly bothered you when you painted it no longer seem important. From it all comes an opportunity to look at my work from the outside, and assess what I will be changing on my next approach (if there is one). This is a really great way to teach yourself.
