"Paintings With Personality"

This is the acrylic corner of my studio, I also have a watercolor corner. When I want to try some Chinese painting I put a board on the trash can and that becomes a table. I know it looks like a mess but I know exactly where everything is and can reach it easily. The painting is a work in progress. I work with it sideways, upside down, right side up, etc. Whatever works at the moment. I'll post the painting when it is finished. Now, on to 'MURDER'. 

MURDER!

     The other night Honey (my husband) and I attended a neighborhood mystery dinner party. The actors were our neighbor, her co-workers, and her husband. The ideas in the play were created and written by one of the co-workers but most of the dialogue was ad-lib. We (the audience) were given the roles of deputies who had to figure out who the murderer was based on the clues presented during the play. The actors had a terrific time with their impromptu parts and we, the viewers, had an even greater time watching them and participating in the action. I even arrested one of the actors for noise pollution (he was really getting into his role).

      It seems that so many things in life can lead to thoughts of art when you look for them. In thinking about last night’s party, my thoughts went to the painting process. We all think composition before and during creating a painting. Some of us do value sketches and some don’t, I happen to be one those who does not. Ultimately when all the planning is done and we sit down in front of the blank paper or canvas. “AAWWWK!” It’s the old familiar feeling of fear, when facing the white of a blank piece of paper/canvas, raising its’ ugly head. We want to make a good painting but we might mess up. All the time we have put into the planning and the process of painting and we could end up with nothing! We face our fears we can either begin or give up so, we bravely reach for a pencil or brush. My choice is to pick up a loaded brush and throw some paint at my surface. The paper isn’t blank anymore and how can I mess up what I already messed up. It also helps keep me loose. What we are putting on the paper/canvas doesn’t matter half as much as how we choose to experience it. Pleasure is there for anyone who decides to enjoy the process rather than jumping to the end product. Now the real work begins.

      I’m sure our ‘actors’ had wakeful hours thinking about what they might say while performing and I also think they had moments of fear before the play began. They may even have wondered how they had gotten themselves in to such a situation. I’m glad they let their viewers be part of the action. They didn’t fill in all the blanks, they led us, their viewers, around the area, taking us where they wanted us to go but letting us come up with the answers.

Let me know how you feel when you stand before a blank work thinking, “Okay, create”.

Another work in progress. I actually finished it today and you'll find that below. It is 30X40" acrylic on canvas. The acrylic has left a bit of a shine with my camera, I'll have to get it professionally photographed.

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