I want to be painting right now. But the little one's nap is almost over, no time left. I've been making thank you notes with Rylee, cut, paste, color, sign, lick, seal. Repeat. Many gifts arrived for her birthday, she was thrilled, of course. Is there really anything left to get her for Christmas? I saw a cute doll tent over at Etsy. She loves to pretend they are camping. And perhaps an apron, for all her crafting moments. Maybe this would prevent another pair of pants from being speckled in paint, glitter, glue, and playdough. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Not me. I've started "the list" which is half the battle I suppose...maybe I should shift my focus, start decorating, distract myself from the shopping.
Last night I curled up with my sketchbook and laptop. Scribbling little faces of cute models I found over at style.com. I always tell myself that, if I were better at drawing, my paintings would also be much better. But drawing is not what I'm good at, or what I like. I honestly think painting is the easy part. So I've committed myself to more sketching, more drawing. I like sweet ethereal faces, delicate features, kind of messy hair. Gemma Ward has a great face. Anyway--I'm trying to let my style evolve. I don't feel I have reached my definitive style yet. Does one ever? For a long time I painted just what I thought I could. I didn't really push myself, probably because I didn't have that much confidence in my artistic abilities. I'm working on that too. In the past several months I've found myself , wanting to paint things I love, not just things I think will make a pretty picture. I think the closer I get to finding out what I like, the more my paintings will reflect my real style. Does that make sense? There should be a book entitled " How to be an Artist", because mostly I feel like I'm just blindly stumbling along, trying to figure it all out, trying to put the pieces together. What have you done as an artist to find your style? How long did it take? (yes, sometimes I'm impatient.) I picked up some different things at the art supply this week. New pencils, oooo, wood panels, ahhhh, watercolors, whoa! Here I go, trying new things....
p.s. For those of you that have inquired, tomorrow with any luck, I'll get some things done, and will be dropping a few originals into my Etsy shop Thursday-ish. Hopefully. :)
12 comments:
Lindsay, your sketches are beautiful....you DRAW very well in addition to your painterly skills....you have a beautiful style. I know what you mean about evolving...I look at my collages from 2 years ago when I started this artistic journey and they are quite different from what pleases me today....I guess we all continue to evolve and grow. And, you are AMAZING that you threw a birthday party while recovering from oral surgery !! Wonder woman !!
Hi Lindsay,
That all makes perfect sense! Doing what you love--that is the key.
Susan
xo
Bonjour Lindsay! Your sketches are very beautiful and so feminine and poetic! I do not think drawing better would make your paintings better... I think style and imagination is what makes a good painting...And I seriously think the more you paint and draw the better you become. My husband, who is an artist too, always tells me to finish paintings I do not like or am unsure of, that eventually, in the process, they will work... I think that we have to free ourselves of that need to do this and that better, we should just let it go and do it like children do, with no strings attached... Take care, LuLu
'Love your musings...and am so looking forward to your shop update
This is a question that interests me a lot - just go with it, that's my advice. I spent a lot of time doing VERY conceptual installation type pieces - went on to study theory of modern art at post grad level. In the end it nearly wound my head inside out - NOW I make little fabric thingies and just enjoy playing with the textures and patterns. I've felt for a number of years that I will start making "proper" art again, but then I wonder what that is. When or IF I do begin to do Art again I expect it will be very different to what I used to make before, and I look forward to that, to allowing the process and the playfullness to lead me...
your work is lovely - I look forward to seeing what is to come...
Lindsay..what beautiful work. Thank you for visiting my blog. I will add you to mine. Thank you for the heads up on the bird houses. I will check them out.
I will also check you out on the esty!
((hugs)
tANYA
x0x
Lindsay, Thank you for visiting my blog!! I am so happy to find you too! The first thing I thought of when I saw the thumbnails of your paintings was that you DO have your own style... it is probably more obvious to a new person like me! And you're absolutely right about painting what YOU love... those will be the ones that are the most precious and speak to others as well. The only way to find your own work is to do it all the time and do what you love (and don't worry if others like it or not--usually they do, if you do!) After being an art teacher for years I realized that there are many "right" ways to do things...trust that your way is the best for you!
(My daughter's b-day is coming up too!!!)
Linday, I am trying to start a YEAR OF THE RAT ART EVENT ! Please come and visit my blog when you have a minute for more details. Let's have fun with this event! And please ask all your friends to join in! Have a great day! A bientôt! LuLu
If you don't have faith in your artistic abilities than there is just no hope for me!
I think your drawings are beautiful! And of course you know I love your paintings.
I think we're ALL trying to find our "style" and maybe we always will be.
I also would FAR rather paint than draw. Always felt a little guilty about that - if I'm an artist, shouldn't I love all of it? So hearing another artist admit the same cheers me right up! Thanks!
I also would FAR rather paint than draw. Always felt a little guilty about that - if I'm an artist, shouldn't I love all of it? So hearing another artist admit the same cheers me right up! Thanks!
Lindsay, I so totally feel what you are saying here. I composed a long comment, way too wordy, then deleted. I need to think a little bit more about this post. Suffice it to say, I completely understand what you are saying and am moved. Will comment more further. I am intrigued by your blog and want to continue reading.
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