Some paintings (rarely) just seem to flow from my brush/palette knife to the canvas/panel and magically appear. Others take more work. And once in awhile there’s a painting that just won’t get resolved. Some might say that in this case I should just give up, but alas, I’m too stubborn.
I started this painting way back in September. Or maybe even earlier than that. I was really excited about it. And then something happened. I’d paint and paint. I’d add layers of glazes. I’d pour coats of transparent gloss mediums. I’d add more paint. First it would get too green. Then it would get too pinkish. Then the blues wouldn’t be right. I’d add texture. Not enough. Then too much. I have no idea how many layers of paint are on this panel.
Of course this isn’t the only painting I was working on all this time. It was just the one that kept getting away from me. Occasionally, I’d decide it was done. Then the next morning I’d take a look and guess what? It wasn’t done. Sometimes I’d get pretty excited, thinking I had it. I’d invite my chief critics (husband Jim, younger son Mathew) out to my studio for a consultation. At one point Jim told me that the painting looked like it had the measles. It was all I could do to keep myself from throwing it onto the floor and jump up and down on it (the painting, not Jim).
Much of the time, working on this felt like trudging through quicksand. And then one day—it was done. I signed it. I put the title and date on the back. Jim photographed it for me. Now I’m sending it out into the world.
Meet Light Dance, born January, 2014.
Light Dance, Acrylic on panel, 30″ x 30″