dreadful late night photo
I had fully intended to bail with one photo (that will follow) and call "working on Spoonflower designs". I have been doing that, but I have more importantly been exploring a theme with my painting and I would like to talk about it a little. I realize that abstract expressionism is old school, 75 years or so, but in terms of art, every genre is re-explored. Joan Mitchell reexamined the great impressionists like Monet and Van Gogh. I like to think that even my tiny foray into art can meaningfully (to me) revisit the greats. I was egged on by this snippet from Seth Godin's blog... You’ve already won (or you’ve already lost). Right now, you can choose to do what’s in your heart, you can bring your real work to the world, instead of a lesser version, a version you think the market wants. After all, what do you have to lose?When it feels like it’s hopeless or when it appears to be a lock, why not?
So you bring your true self to the work, your unadulterated effort, without negative self-talk and the sanding off of the interesting edges. Instead of compromise, you bring us vision. So for me that means who the #^*% cares just paint something and see if it sucks or not. This painting is the beginning of something I want to explore. I want pretty (feminine) and ugly (masculine/violent) to act in harmony, instead of two separate forces juxtaposed.
This one is a baby step in that direction. I think that this is one of my better canvases. I titled it "Library of laughs"
I once wrote about my first husband, who is now dead, having a "library of laughs" because he had so many that you could have written a language around their various meanings. I am so thankful for the children we had together and this spirit that gives us smiles...still. So there it is Matthew... my wave
