This residency has given me a newfound appreciation for the importance of Daily practice. Being able to focus on my painting has made me think more deeply about the importance of consistency in order to improve my skills and to find my individual style and process. I feel a higher level of comfort and painting is a normal part of my day like getting dressed, cooking, eating or anything. If you do something consistently it doesn't matter if you skip one day, but if you don't do something consistently and then you do it a few times it also doesn't matter. A good analogy is working out: if you go to the gym every day, then taking a day off doesn't affect you (In fact a day off is a good idea). But if never go and then you go one time or a few times it's also ineffective. The consistency is what provides the results. I avoid thinking that I can work for a period of time and then just coast. I've been painting for a long time and drawing for an even longer time and I always need practice in order to improve or at least maintain my skills. I get rusty pretty quickly and I've found it is a never-ending maintenance project to keep my skills sharp. One of the keys is to just get started so you can gain the momentum. If I just get up and go then I don't give myself time to make excuses. The initial shift in gears to get the ball rolling is the biggest hurdle to clear. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is crucial to improve as an artist. Starting a Painting One of the important things to remember is that no two paintings can be done the same way. If something works one time it may not work again the next time. When getting started, it's good to keep principles in mind instead of a specific progression. One principle which helps is to think "Big to small" which means "masses before details". These broader concepts are looser and provide for flexibility.
One thing that I never do in the beginning is to generalize. By this, I mean to put a homogenized tone down simply to cover the canvas. I begin very loosely (almost abstractly) but I want accuracy from the start and not a lazy "just cover the canvas" approach. I'd rather leave areas of bare canvas than to smear across a general tone. What about drawing on the canvas before painting? This is a good question and it's something that varies from artist to artist. Some artists draw out the entire composition, but for me, I keep it simple. I prefer to sketch some lines with thin paint at the beginning to divide the major areas of the composition. After that, I just begin painting directly. I used to draw or even trace a drawing onto my canvas, but I found that too much drawing makes me timid and I lose the spontaneity. BUT, you can never ignore drawing and I recommend you sketch as much as possible. There's an idea in oil painting of "thick over thin" or "fat over lean". This has to do with the structure of a painting and is important for the longevity of your painting. I won't go in-depth about it because there is a lot of info available about it, but I personally don't use too much of anything in the beginning. Too much solvent causes a drippy effect and too much thick paint can cause other problems. I do enjoy playing with thinner paint or thicker paint, but I usually follow my gut and experience to guide me. Another consideration when starting a painting is time constraints. How much time or how many days can I work on this? If I have a limitation of one session then I will adjust my approach accordingly. My painting example below doesn't have a time limit per se, but the garden still changes and flowers don't last forever so I still feel a sense of urgency. My painting shows how much I accomplish in about a 2 hour window before I return the following day to continue working. It's not a small painting, but it's not huge either. Obviously the size of the canvas affects the process; a larger painting requires more paint and thus, more time. Lastly, I aim for beauty from the start. If something happens and I can't continue, does the painting still have something to offer? Even as a rough beginning, did I accomplish something? Remember that it's all a process and each painting represents a different challenge to you as an artist.
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Work continues in the studio and en plein air as well. My large evening pond scene is going well and I'm learning a lot by working on it. As I've said previously, it feels very freeing to work on this large scale. We had a ton of rain last night so the garden was wet and drooping this morning, but I enjoyed a morning session regardless.
I'm feeling positive about my work and I'm very motivated to continue on larger paintings. Also, happy 4th of July to everyone back home, hope you all had a nice holiday with BBQ's and fireworks! The weather has been a bit cooler the past few days so it's been easier to be outside painting and moving around. I'm working on a few larger pieces and they've given me real sense of freedom. One of them is an evening scene of the pond which I'm working on in the studio. I did an oil sketch beforehand and I'm usually committed to working en plein air, but the size of this canvas makes it really difficult to manage. The sun is an issue since my umbrella only shades a portion of the canvas; the wind can be a big problem too since a canvas is essentially like a large sail that can catch the wind. I am working on a morning pond scene entirely en plein air because it's small enough that I can handle it. I'm really getting accustomed to these larger sizes and am planning more to come. Some new flowers are being planted in the garden and they're really very colorful. I sketch a lot in the evening and it's great to just sit and appreciate the different shapes and colors. I can recognize many of the varieties, but some are new to me and I've been having fun studying them. Currently on the easel: It's been a month since I began my journey as Artist-in-Residence at Claude Monet's estate in Giverny, France. I feel like the time has gone by quickly, but I also feel like I've been here much longer than one month. I guess that's because I've been so busy and I've put a lot of effort into this past month. Painting nearly every day, getting up early and adjusting to life in a different country has really expanded my boundaries. It's made me feel very strong. The ever-present thought in my mind and the feeling I have is complete gratitude. I'm so grateful that I can be here and do what I love every single day. I'm also aware of the fact that my family and friends back home are thinking about me. I am also thinking about them every day. So far, I have painted a lot (both oils and watercolors) in addition to keeping a sketchbook and journal to document my experience. Artistically, I've had ups and downs, but I'm feeling very positive about my pieces. Painting en plein air in the gardens and around Giverny has really been an unbelievable experience. My other project is that I am writing an on-going memoir that I want to edit and have published once I'm back in the US. I'm not sure how many people reading this are painters or doing anything artistic, but I want to also say something in regards to following passions. I know how difficult it can be to make sacrifices in pursuit of a dream. There's so much involved just to do something that sounds relatively simple. For me: I just want to keep painting and teaching; but it's an unorthodox career and I've had to work a lot harder because of that. It's simple, but never easy. I just want to send a message of encouragement to anyone reading this who has a passion, a dream or something that they want to achieve. It could be something simple or something more complicated, but I encourage you to keep pursuing it. It's easy to get discouraged and to lose motivation, but remember to follow your own heart even if others tell you it won't work. It's good to listen to others (especially loved ones) but remember that not everyone knows what's best for you. I try as much as I can just to look at things with my own eyes and to think my own thoughts. I'm sitting outside in the courtyard now and it's evening time so I better get ready for bed. Poppy (our local cat) is looking to get petted and I'm feeling really at peace here. I wonder what the next 2 months are going to bring as I continue on this journey. Thank you for following along with me. "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."
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