Some advise to other artists, and our worst critics, ourselves.
In my previous blog I mentioned that I was letting a new painting “percolate”. It’s my personal expression for letting it sit, and me digest it for a few days, months or maybe years. Yes, I have sat on a painting for years before deciding it was finished.
I didn’t always let my art sit. I was quite willing to instantly rip apart anything I was dissatisfied with. Growing up, our neighbor and friend Judy Hatch was always quite horrified when I would do this. I’ve always been my worst critique, as is true with a lot of artists.
About ten years ago I decided I needed another method. I decided that if I was unsure or thought I really hated a painting I would sit on it and let it “percolate”. Sometimes the piece will sit for a few days. If I still can’t make up my mind, a little longer. Sometimes I put it away in a closet and won’t look at it for a very long time. In one case for almost 6 years. Sometimes my first instincts are wrong, sometimes they are right.
I still try not to throw them out, especially if they are easily stored. In one case, I sat on a watercolor for almost a year. After looking at it over the year, I still hated it. But, because it was a watercolor, it was easy to slip into a drawer. The painting sat for another year or so until I had a group showing and needed art. I pulled out the piece and examined it again… Nope still hate it, but I really liked the top right hand corner. In the end, I tore out the piece I liked, had it framed, and it appeared in the show. What was once an 8×10 fall landscape turned into a small 3×3 abstract that is hanging in my living room.
I also like to let a piece sit and percolate when I don’t want to overwork it. Sometimes a piece with just scream stop. And sometimes I could spend forever knitpicking it to death. Once again if I’m unsure it is done, I will let it sit for a few days, come in and check it out at various times of the day. Get a real feel for the painting, and then decided if it needs just a touch more or if it done.
As many artist know sometimes a piece is easy and it flows and its done before you know it. Others you work on for a long period over months or years. I finally finished my sisters 2007 Christmas present just in time for Christmas 2008. The delay was caused by over-zealous planning, some procrastination, some of it was simply percolating. It was a large piece, paying homage to her magnificent quilting artistry. It was also a huge challenge since I painted the entire piece is 1/2 inch squares. It was a slow piece to paint, I had to spend a lot of time stepping back and examining the overall piece, since I was painting in such little pieces. Finally after a year and a half of painting I did finish it and was thrilled and relieved to give it to her.
By the way… the logo features Bruce and Gayle’s dog Domino (as Poise) and Carol Jansen’s dog Skylar (as Performance).
