I have been churning out my back grounds for my still life paintings. My ‘Critical Friend’ Deb suggested that they didn’t look ‘ finished’. I borrowed another vase and messed around with my IPhone looking at composition.
I like me my layering app- Image Blender and the filter App Prisma for messing about with my images . I wanted to try and get a simillar effect to my painting but using digital methods
I was pleased with the result – sometimes I wonder why I paint. I don’t get an emotional response working digitally.
I started working on several paintings of the same thing at once – because I find it easier to become emerged and like series paintings
I wasn’t satisfied with these, the vase is horrid to draw and the flowers looked too solid and fleshy. I wondered if the landscape format was too big for the subject
This was still feeling dull and had lost much of the energy of the initial background . The patterns showed through, but the over all effect was too flat , (teal does not photograph well either) .
I sent a couple of images to Deb – she liked the last picture but said:
‘I think you need to find your ‘why’ and then it will all come together – Why are you making these pictures, what’s the motivation, where’s the energy coming from? ‘
I was annoyed at my self – I am trying to find a way to paint that is mine – then I was more honest
‘It’s got something to do with my life being a facade – all the turmoil underneath – feeling unwell, traveling , making a mess, mandalas, seeking for spiritual connection . The flowers being plastic because Jon and I are allergic – all the conventions of a still life – on top of that the flat colour – but some of me coming through ‘
I knew what I had to do – I ran the pictures under a tap and attacked them with a washing up abrasive sponge
The facade is peeling
I attacked the smaller ones too. I have some others that I produced on printer paper but they are too fragile to be treated in the same way ( lol)
It’s funny – I have restricted my self to blues/ teals because I love them – but I think the stronger colours underneath represent how I am feeling , and work better with the teal/ blue combo on top.
Next week I shall probably be doing something completely different
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