From the meadow
From the meadow
and why I never throw any art away
If you’ve been following my blog these past months, you might remember that I’m on a mission to finish some artworks, especially those that have been sitting on my shelves for (let’s be honest) YEARS, like the series I’m sharing today. That’s right, it’s quite common for me to start a painting or any other kind of piece, and then let it sit for ages… There can be plenty of reasons for that, for instance:
I get stuck and frustration gets the best of me for a while
I lose momentum
I get distracted by an even more interesting project (shiny objet syndrom!)
life gets in the way and forces me to take a break (some breaks like holidays and travel are better than others!), then when I get back inspiration is gone
I prepare a body of work on a deadline for a show and start more than I can actually complete, then after the event I’m no longer in the same energy
and just plain procrastination!
But I never worry too much about it all, and the reason is that I trust the process 100%. I trust that each painting is on its own journey to come to life and I know from experience that it will come together in its own good time. It’s not all in my hands, and I love them even in their unfinished state. On extremely rare occasions, some will get painted over. But I’ve hardly ever thrown any art away.
I know some people will say “What?? You mean you never end up with an ugly painting? They all become successful pieces? Don’t you ever rip any apart and throw them in the trash?” I know it’s supposed to be an inevitable, almost initiatory part of the artist’s journey. But hey, that’s just not the way I work.
I believe your creative process has to be unique to you and above all, FEEL GOOD to you, so who cares how things are “supposed” to be done?
First, I’m both stubborn and patient. So I’d rather wait and give it time, come back to it later with fresh eyes, talk to it (yes) and try to find out where it wants to go. If it has nothing to say, then I’ll put it aside again. I usually avoid asking anyone for their opinion because it’s an intimate relationship between me and the artwork, and I know we will find a way to make friends at some point.
Secondly, I’m a gentle soul, and being gentle with myself AND with my art is important to me. I’m not saying it can’t be cathartic to tear and break things sometimes, but honestly, I’d rather pass my nerves on the weeds in the garden than on a perfectly good canvas that’s just going through an awkward teenage phase.
Which brings me to my third point: I am mindful of my art resources and I hate to waste them. I love art supplies, and new ones are always such a treat, but I’m also well aware that they come at a cost to our lovely planet. I’ve heard many times “don’t be afraid to waste plenty of paint” and I agree that throwing it around with wild abandon can be an excellent way to loosen up and work intuitively. But that’s just not the right way for me. I’m not Pollock (although that’s the name of one of my kitties!) and like I said before, it’s all about finding what works for you and what feels good and true to you. Your art, your way.
The new series I’m sharing today is called “From the Meadow” and I started it over two years ago. The groundwork was done and I loved the fist layers of neutral tones and image transfers, but I didn’t know where to take it next. So I put the four pieces away on a shelf. Then last year when we moved house and I moved into my new studio, I displayed one of them on a shelf. Finally, a whole other year later, I felt it was time. The wild flowers and golden tones made me think of a meadow, and it turns out that we now have a small “field” at the back of the house, our own little patch of wilderness, with tall grasses swaying int the wind... Inspiration just flew from there. This series is so much more meaningful now that it is connected to a place I love.
The words that came intuitively as I journaled over the almost-finished pieces are all about “seeds of light” and new possibilities. Maybe each unfinished artwork is just that: a seed. Some will need to spend more than one cold winter underground before shooting towards the light. Some will start to grow but will take many more springs before showing the color of their first bloom, and many summers before coming fully into their own and bearing fruit. Above all, they will need gentle care, patience, and trust in the cycles of life and creativity…
This series will be included in the online Handmade Holiday Show with Stephanie Gagos around Thanksgiving. If you’d like to know more and get an invitation when it opens, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter:
And if you’d like to explore your own artistic voice and create light-filled paintings with lovely neutral tones, collage and translucent effects, then I’d love for you to join my online workshop Layers of Light! Take a peek and find out more below:
I hope this little series will inspire your day and remind you to be gentle with yourself, so you can grow your own beautiful seeds of possibility.