As I grow as an artist I am starting to realize that inspiration is a combination of discipline meeting the perfect storm. Take this latest piece in my collection for example.
The last few months I have been in what some call, heck, Even I called it, a creative slump! There were no new ideas flowing and everything just felt redundant. I have learned, however, that just because you feel a certain way doesn't mean your actions stop. I mean, right? We may not feel inspired, but the kids still need to eat 3 times a day (or the middle of the night..yawn), the bathroom still needs to be scrubbed, and dishes washed... you get the point... I have learned to apply this same discipline to creating, even when feeling uninspired I still paint. I paint things that I have painted many times before, I take commissions and paint those ideas that someone else had and want me to tweak.. I keep painting...
One of these paintings was for my sweet Sister-in-law, Angela.. she has graciously given me each of her pregnancy belly-casts to paint. With each of them (five in total) she has given me free reign with little input... they have all been flowers and with this last one she did say she and kiddo #5 enjoyed clover, the leaves and the flowers...
While painting Ibegan to use some techniques that were slightly different and did a lot of freehand swabbing on of paint... and when it was finished it felt so delicate, almost like a teacup, dainty and maybe even lacy?
In the meantime my husband started watching a fisherman who fishes along the coast of Florida's Panhandle and he kept catching these fish that looked so grumpy! "Omg! Look at their faces!" I told my hubby, "what kind of fish are they?" .. "Florida Pompano " he informed.. "I want to paint them!" And my mind began to shift them in and out of all the gardens I have painted, but my mind kept coming back to the clover...
Here are the pics of the process...
I always start the painting IN the frame as the frame, for me is always part of the composition...
The colors are always so bold at first!
It felt so good to just keep going with the flow! Adding color, placing flowers... but getting the pompano right was important to me... I have a very whimsical hand, but a hyper- literal mind.. I try to honor them both.
I love their grumpy faces!
At some point I do have to lay the piece down to dial in the details.. but it works for me..
..
I toned down the glaring gold frame with some chalky white.. the gold still glints threw here and there, but oh the yummyness!
So what do you think? Is this just a lucky catch, inspired discipline or a combination...
27"x 36"
$972