Sunday, June 2, 2013

Three Confessions

                                                                       Acrylic, 6x6"

Confession #1:  I have been working on painting roses for awhile this year.  Did you notice this is the first one I am showing of the lot?  

Confession #2:  I have been painting quite frequently, almost daily.  I am pushing myself with a variety of subject matter.  When I get something worth showing, you will be the first to know.  I know my motto is "Paint Like Nobody's Watching," and to follow my own advice, I have to give myself permission to try new things and not HAVE to publish them!

Today's rose was painted from life on a Gessobord instead of my usual Aquabord.  I usually don't like painting on gesso, but have been a bit frustrated with the stickiness of my acrylics lately.  I used Gessobords part of the time in the workshop I took with Patti Mollica in April, and did find the paint more, well...slippery.  I decided to go for slippery today, and I used a medium in place of water.  Usually I like my paint to dry fast, so I had to trade that out, since I wanted slippery.

I really enjoyed painting this and am pleased with the result.  Which brings up an issue.  Confession #3, in fact:  I seem to have a totally different sense of my own worthiness when I paint something I am willing to show you.  Which probably is detrimental in general to my well-being, but I imagine quite common among artists like me, striving to grow.  So, other artists out there in Blogger-land, if you are willing to share, I would love to hear how you handle the difference in feeling you get when you paint something you like versus when you paint something....you would like to keep to yourself.


18 comments:

Virginia Floyd said...

Very nice! Great lights and darks in the rose petals.

Meredith Adler said...

Thank you so much, Virginia!

Cathy Engberg said...

If this is the first one, I can't wait to see the rest. This one is very successful and you really added some nice darks to make it pop. Love it!

I know that feeling of being happy with my work and also frustrated. Of course, ee all do. I really try not to be too much in love with my paintings that I don't want to paint more into it or sell it. I really try to stay detached so that I can move on with less frustration. Hopefully see where I could have done better... and move on. I'm not always successful with this. But this is what I try to do. A successful day painting gives me energy.

Sharon L. Graves said...

love the rose. I struggle painting them. I seldom put something aside that I hate or don't want anyone to see, but if I do, I don't show it. There are paintings I do that I like more than others and I have several I have the price up there, because I don't care if I sell it because I like it that much. I think a progression not just of a painting, but of the skill or ability it takes to create a painting would also be an interesting blog post and one you could feel safe with. I have one coming of a painting that I re-worked and there will be a progression from the piece I didn't like into one I did.

Glad to hear you're painting more. Must mean the dog is better.

Meredith Adler said...

Thanks, Cathy, for your reply to my question. Sounds like you have a good handle on your "painting moods," at least most of the time.

Sharon, that is great that you are able to mostly like what you paint enough to show and sell! And yes, Jane Doe is doing well with her rehab.

Thank you, both, for the compliments on the painting, too.

Barbara Pask said...

This is beautiful! I like it so much. I know for me I go to bed thinking of how my painting day went and sleep much better if things went well. I think as long as we are not satisfied we continue to grow, so I think doubt is a good thing. Keeps us striving to grow.

Linda Nickles said...

Meredith, I love the colors here... gorgeous!

Meredith Adler said...

Thank you, Barbara...that's kind of like, "it's the journey, not the destination." I appreciate your time to express that I am understood! Thanks for the compliment, too!

Thanks, Linda, for your compliment, and for visiting. Watchers, this is Linda's first time visiting here, I think. She is a wonderful painter, does a lot of plein air landscapes of the marsh areas around her coastal home town. Check out her work!

Jacklyn Karabaich said...

Your Rose is terrific! This is your first, or the first one you posted? Either way, you should be so happy with it, Beautiful!

If I have a bad painting day, it really shakes me up! I don't sleep well and this weird "I forgot how to paint" creeps in! I think it would be easier if I had painting friends to talk to who would tell me to snap out of it, and get back to the easel!

ME said...

Your beautiful rose reminds me of the one in the painting you gave me. So beautiful. I am so impressed by the thoughtful comments by your fellow artists.
Love,
ME

Meredith Adler said...

Jacklyn, thank for your comment/compliment. To answer your question, this is NOT the first, but the first I was willing to show! And you now DO have artist friends who will help you snap out of it, if you let us know you need it!

Thanks, Mom...this group of artists IS a pretty special bunch, aren't they?

Everyone....check out Jacklyn's blog, too, if you can. She is the middle of a step-by-step on a painting that is just fascinating to follow.

Bruce Bingham said...

This turned out beautifully!

Meredith Adler said...

Thank you, Bruce. Everyone...Bruce is also a first time visitor here, also an artist. She recently took a fantastic workshop in France. Check out her work!

Terri Buchholz said...

Your rose is really very lovely. There is a lot a nice spontaneity in the color and the brushwork!

I think everyone can relate to feeling self satisfied and energized when a painting is going well and the opposite when it's not. I've recycled more stretcher frames than I want to think about.

Meredith Adler said...

Thanks, Terri! Terri is a new blogging friend who does wonderful paintings of people--portrait and slice of life type paintings. Check out Terri's blog and say hello if you are so inclined...

Susan said...

Wow, this is so lovely. The colors work beautifully. I admire you painting roses. They are such delicate beauties.

Meredith Adler said...

Susan, Thank you so much. I really appreciate your comment....Are you still on your trip? Blogging from afar?

paintingbythelake said...

Meredith, I love your roses!

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