Questions to ask...
Finishing a Painting II
Is there ‘Precious’ in your Studio?
Finally, the insistent call of the outside world drags us away and we close the studio door on that tangled grid-locked mess of paint, hope, and self-belief. As we square up to the dishwasher and the dusting that secret smile is now a nagging sense of dread. Am I good enough? Why can’t I figure this out? I’ve killed my precious ….
Finishing a Painting
Learning to make Art without Fear
My Why - Why do I paint and Why do I teach?
When I was growing up there was no such thing as a ‘why’. Well, we didn’t know we all had one or at least there was no drive to examine our motives and find out. I remember doing quite a lot of motive examination directed by the nuns – but I always fell short and found myself counting down to the next confessional to cleanse my soul.
Stop trying to finish your paintings?
Be Battle-Ready with your Painting Process
How A Self-Doubter Became A BELIEVER
Criticism and Creativity – Can they Co-exist?
When I was 11 it was my legs, in my teens it was my freckles, my boobs – or lack of, my teeth, certain aspects of my parents, our religion and the family car. In my 20’s still the boob thing, lack of career direction and my inability to hook a decent man. My 30’s saw the concern about the man intensify.. In my 40’s it was a general lack of organisation, uncontrol of my two young children – (yes, I managed to find myself a man.) My 50’s has been all about my internal thermometer control and sleep – both far too erratic. What has all this got to do with Abstract Painting?
The 4 Stages of a Painting
Finding Your Style
You don’t have to know what your style is when you embark on your artists journey. When you are further down the path, you can look back and you will see the clues. Colours, marks, techniques you have favoured. Combinations of shapes and preferences for compositional arrangements that seem to keep popping up in your work.
The Top Tool in my Paintbox
Painting is My Teacher
Some paintings have given me learning that has freed me up completely, adjusted my thinking and changed the narrative that plays in my head. One in particular I will always be grateful for as it gave me an anchor that ever since has kept me secure and absolutely embedded in the knowledge that whatever I do in a painting it will all be for the good.
5 Top Tips to Making Better Art
Selling: the elusive WHITE WALLS
I will happily sell my work online to anyone who wants to buy, and I will happily ship my paintings off to galleries if they want to sell my work. I’ll even book another Art Fair next year. But I’m not going to do mental gymnastics trying to come up with new venues and ways of getting my work on other people’s walls in front of other people’s eyes. I don’t really care enough.
Just FRAME IT!!
On reflection, this process of decision making and being stuck and stalled in indecision has given me renewed insight. I see this in many artists who ask my advice about their paintings. They are stuck, they have a hunch on what they should do, but they need affirmation that this is the right course of action and they lack the courage to act in case they ruin the work.
Is Your Art "GOOD ART"?
Recently a student in my stARTs course reached out to me for some feedback regarding her work. She wanted to know if it was ‘good’. BIG QUESTION. I remember so clearly being at the stage she is at now. Working tirelessly on improving my work and finding my ‘style’. I liked parts of it but was dissatisfied with so much of it and was struggling to find a process that gave me the results that I loved.
You be THE JUDGE
Last night I had an epiphany. I have been mulling over what paintings to enter into a couple of upcoming award shows. This can be a valuable way of gaining credibility and recognition if you become a finalist and have your work exhibited in the show, and also if you should be lucky enough to win an award.