Sunday 30 March 2008

painting in a personal manner

I've been reading this fab book by the artist Mary Todd Beam. I'm finding it really inspiring. When I bought it last year my first creation from her wisdom and creative exercises was the piece of abstract art, "Sunset over the Estuary".

Photobucket

I've picked the book up again to read as I'm feeling like I'm treading water sometimes with my paintings. I feel like I get stuck, bored, irritated and feel like I've got cotton wool in my head, and I stand back from the canvas and think, "You've got to be kidding...it looks like I did it at school 30 years ago!!"
She has a brilliant list of things for painting in a personal manner (that means in your own style and not what you think people expect of you):
  1. Paint flows freely from your brush in a relaxed manner
  2. The subject matter comes from your everyday life experiences
  3. Each painting grows from your previous work
  4. Each painting contains a measure of personal symbols
  5. You are sensitive and responsive to developments in your work
  6. You are willing to change preconceived plans when changes are offered
Now, when I read that tonight, I though, "Yes...I can do that. That's what happens on good days." So now the answer is to remember to be relaxed and incorporate something personal and let the creativity flow.
Julia Cameron, author of "The Artist's Way", takes this one step further and suggests asking the universe to provide, and if we remain receptive, we will be answered.


So with that all in mind, its Monday tomorrow, so I can paint to my hearts content ( I have to paint Sat-Tues cos I teach singing on Wed-Fri in the same room - gotta clear up the clutter).
I will go to the studio armed with Mary Todd Beam's list and see what happens :)

Toodle-do

Debs

painting above: Sunset over the Estuary (c) 2007 Deborah Eileen Burrow

3 comments:

Heaton said...

sometimes what we did at school 30yrs ago is a good thing, everything comes full circle.
i've just finished a book (notes from an exhibition) one part that stood out is when the daughter as a young girl is painting quite happily until her artist mother asks 'why that colour?' and 'why that choice of subject' .. as soon as rules are imposed all the joy is lost and it becomes another task.

Debs Burrow said...

A very good point! Thanks.

Gexton said...

I've been reading this fab book by the artist Mary Todd Beam. I'm finding it really inspiring. When I bought it last year my first creation from her wisdom and creative exercises was the piece of abstract art, "Sunset over the Estuary".