Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Painting In the Moment


Work in Progress


This week I am preparing painting for a workshop on Painting Still Water. It is a small private group that requested I show them how to painting boats and reflections. So I looked through a bazillion photos to try to find one that had what they requested, yet was simple enough that it didn't overwhelm my students. I am not sure I succeeded but the photo I found is one I had in my "to do" file and has gorgeous reflections. Only there was one problem. I was finding it difficult to want to paint at all. Boats and reflections didn't seem profound enough to capture how I feel. Perhaps it is because of everything I have been through lately. All those major setbacks and tough decisions were getting to me. So instead of painting, I procrastinated by trying to figure out how I felt and what I wanted to paint.

Then I came across a quote by Paul Cezanne that made me realize that I need to just paint.

"Right now a moment of time is fleeting by! Capture its reality in paint. We must become that moment, make ourselves a sensitive recording plate, give the image of what we actually see, forgetting everything that has been seen before our time."

Although I may not be painting my world as it passes by, my inner world can be painted into what I do. It will all come out in the painting whether I want it to or not. Indeed, I can look back at some of my work from previous years and remember what I was doing in my life and how I felt during those times. My worries and problems became clearer as I painted and sometimes resolved. I realized that ideas for paintings and for life flow into me as the paint flows across the paper.

So I picked up my brush and started to paint. I must admit the painting is slow and isn't a mad dash onto paper but so are my thoughts. I am in no rush to finish this painting. I am just enjoying the process of painting in the moment and ruminating about the issues at hand.

Monday, June 8, 2015

I'm Back!

   


I know I've disappeared for awhile. Even my other blog where I showcased my paintings more than my tips has suffered. Life can always be a bit crazy with work, kids, dog, and school but mine really started to unravel a few years ago. The emotional strain took a huge toll.  I tried to hold it together as best as I could but a few months ago I was forced to make some changes. I had to walk (run!) away and leave everything but my kids behind. 
I am now living back in Victoria with my son and starting over again. I say again because I have been here many, many times. Perhaps this fact has helped me to realize what is really important. 

The good news is that I hope to now be able to concentrate more on doing what I love. Painting and teaching. I have faith that it will all work out and I won't have to get a desk job somewhere. 
I am now also a representative of Indigo Artpapers. Indigo has some beautiful handmade watercolor paper which I just love! The are fairly new and are located in Canada, made in India.
I am also trying to set up online classes and consultations. If you are interested, you can contact me at leslieredheadart@gmail.com. A tab will all the information will be located at the top of this blog very soon.  

But the really great news is that Watercolor Weapons has been picked up by a publisher (North Light Books) and I am getting it all written and organized to be published. Yay!! The release date is January 2017.Sounds like the title will be changed but all the good stuff will still be there. I will keep you posted about more of that. 

Now it is off to work I go. Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho