Friday, March 20, 2015

Spring Cleaning in the Studio

First Day of Spring

Welcome Spring! It has been a beautiful rainy, blustery day for the first day of spring. I am spring cleaning my studio, very thoroughly. Everything is coming off the shelves and being culled, cleaned, reorganized and re-arranged. I now have a nice little drawing area in one corner. Three more corners and the middle to arrange! After such huge changes these past few years, it was time to go through everything to reflect my direction and focus. Painting has slowed way down at the moment but not stopped entirely. It will pick up with a renewed studio soon!

I seem to be struggling a bit with my painting at the community garden. Part of the reason is I am still trying new approaches. I also realized that I am not used to painting in such cultivated areas. I usually am painting on the beach looking at waves, water, cliffs, and falls. I think it is a very good thing to be working in gardens, orchards, and old farmland too. I want to be more versatile and I know the same principles apply. That said, I am going to bring my sketchbook for the next couple of weeks and get some graphite sketching in before attempting another painting.

Here is last week's attempt at painting. The wind had picked up and it was raining a bit so I set up behind the duck house for protection to paint this old pear tree. It hasn't bloomed yet but is covered with moss and a few ferns in some areas. Quite the character.

Alder Creek Farm Painting in Progress

I thought about wiping this one off the panel. I waited to make that decision after I got home. I still considered it but, as I looked at what still needed to be done and corrected, I decided to keep it and play with it in the studio. I know what I was trying to achieve. It will be a good learning tool to see if I can achieve it in the studio. Working at it this way will allow me to have more success in the future while out in the field.

I will post again when the studio spring cleaning is finished!

Wishing everyone a joyful spring season.

-Renee

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