Thursday, September 27, 2012

can art ever be a bad obsession?

hi everyone!


Last night, i didn't know too much what i felt like painting, if at all.

I sat there for a bit, put on some music,
sketched a few little things on paper,
wrote a few words,
looked around,
opened the window,
looked at some books,
made myself a tea...

and then did this (above) with a palette knife,
for a little warmup. ;-) 


Then this came about on a little piece of cardboard,
about 4" x 6",
acrylics and ink and white pen.

Looks like a little alien to me.


It's funny how on some nights,
i stay away from the good stuff -
the good quality paper, or the good paints,
for fear that it'll just be wasted for some reason.

Sometimes you just know it's not gonna be a masterpiece.

Or at least you think you know...


So i grabbed this old leftover piece of shiny bristol board,
made a few marks on it,
and flipped it over, counter clockwise.

I kinda saw a face in there...
(again, we see what we want to see, right?)


added some blue...


a bit more blue and the infamous dots...


And there you have it. 
Definitely no masterpiece, but a painting nonetheless.

Sometimes, when i finish a painting,
i'm really proud.
Whenever i do a painting that i love,
I wake up the next morning,
and the first thing i do is go into my little room
to see the painting again.

Do any of you out there do this,
or am i just full of myself?

Let's just say that i didn't go into my room this morning for this one. 

But despite not loving it,
it was fun to do and as always, very meditative.

Even as i'm painting sometimes
and thinking "what the fuck is this now?!"
I still go with the flow and try not to let myself
get in the way of the painting,
or get too judgmental about it.

I think it's important to get out of our own way sometimes.


So there you have it - 3 very different pieces on the same night,
within the same hour or so...

maybe i do need therapy.
(giggle...)

It's an obsession, but it's a good one!


And THIS, my friends... is the work of art of the wonderful Lorinda.
You can find her blog here, at Everyday Endeavours.

I got this postcard in the mail from her this week and love it.

Sharing art with one another is about more than just sharing a painting,
don't you think?

I love this. I see an ocean and the wind and fields of grass and sand... 
THANK YOU Lorinda.



It even looks great this way too...

Yup, it's on my wall.


And this, from the lovely Nora Clemens...
You can find her here.

i love these!
Such beautiful illustrations filled with vibrant colors and TWIRLS!!
Thank you Nora. 2 more for my wall... :-)


i LOVE snail mail...
there's nothing like opening an envelope
and finding these little gems inside...
makes me all tingly.

Wishing you all the kind of day you love.
If not the whole day, at least part of it. :-)
xox



13 comments:

  1. Pauline,

    You are so good for me - you remind me to just play and go with the flow. I love the one with the face and the signature white dots.

    What do you mean "maybe I need therapy"? I think what you did last night in your art room is therapy!!

    xoxo

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  2. Wonderful post, Pauline.
    I know that feeling... so anxious to go running into my studio, first thing in the morning!! :]
    A slice of heaven, pure joy...
    doesn't take much to fill my heart & soul, when it come to art. ~xx

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  3. Hi Pauline, I have read your mail thank you very much! and now I used the translator on your blog, it was useful enough :)
    do you know what happens to me when I paint? (when I paint with acrylic or oil, watercolor not, because I do not know why but watercolor painting for me is a game, I have more fun) but when I paint with acrylic or oil (lately I do not do it very often) everything starts a little chaotic as thousands of problems to solve. Then, without thinking much about it, I'm working out, (sometimes it takes me days) until (ever, ever) get to a point where I do not know which way to go, then I drink a coffee (some time ago ago, I smoked a cigarette) and gradually start to find the tip of the ball of string, and so I end my painting. Obviously, to me, it happens, just like you, many mornings I woke up and went to see the finished painting last night.
    Not necessarily a great painting. :))))))))))
    Byeeeeeeeeeeee

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  4. I have exactly that thing of the excitement of going in to see the painting from the day before! I even get excited at bedtime when I've finished one I'm happy with, because I know I'll get to wake up in the morning and see it! :) xx

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  5. I'm one of those who go and check my work again the next morning. Sometimes what I hated the night before looked better the following morning. :-) I like the woman you painted, and the art work you received. Ditto to being a fan of snail mail too! :-)

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  6. I love that you just go for it. Good advice! These three pieces are very different, but each has something to say. Because of you showing your works in progress, you've helped me want to keep going and see what happens when I (often) reach that point where I don't like what I am making--LOL! Thanks, Pauline!

    And what beautiful art to find in your mailbox!! So personal. :)

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  7. Very nice, I like the alien, albeit I'd call it emergence.... because it looks like it's in a state of ...."becoming." Exactly where your book is at....I love this piece...it's complex yet beautiful!! Should be on a huge canvas!!

    Pretty much the same as you. If I love it I keep the pages in plain sight for a bit. If not I close them..

    Very lovely work by the others too!!I enjoyed visiting the links as well!! Thanks for sharing!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  8. I have an entire stairway that holds the paintings that remind me of the "high" I felt when I finished them. Your warmup with the funky person is my favorite!

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  9. Love the painting with the androgyous face ~ could male or female ~ love how you did the layers and then popped the face out ~ lovely ~ very creative ~ also like the small 'universal man' type figure ~ Da Vinci did something along those lines ~ Happy Weekend to you ~
    (A Creative Harbor)

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  10. That face is so serene...what a good thing you carried on...I love the result you have there.
    xx

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  11. Hihi, I do the exact same thing. And seems we're not the only ones if I read the comments here ☺ I really love that little guy on the piece of cardboard.

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  12. I am always amazed that you can finish three pieces in one evening! Each so different and yet beautiful in their own right. I agree with Vicki, this IS therapy! Thanks for the shout out. I love Nora's cards, will definitely have to go say hi. xx

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  13. Brilliant post ! You are so right about just wanting to express yourselves and it doesn't really matter about needing to make it look perfect , just keeping with the flow..Your blog is wonderful..love looking through your posts, seeing what you have to say and share...your piece is amazing with all those wonderful bright colors!

    Duaa

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