In this entry I am going to discuss the development of my painting, titled “Come Away with Me Norah Jones.” I’ll address choices I made and why. Also, I’ll share how the painting aligns with life.
Beginning
This is an early stage in this painting. I have a harder time creating than editing, so I can hardly wait to extract offenders. However, I start by identifying what is worth saving. I like the dark textured areas, the desaturated yellow, the use of black and white, and warm colors contrasted with cool hues. I especially like the dark textured area in contrast with flat paint. Now for the weeds: the textured desaturated yellow areas, the size of the central yellow shape, the smaller light-yellow accents, and the pea green shapes. And here is the kicker – I don’t like the design.
How does this apply to life?
If you have a fire in the kitchen, don’t respond first by removing valuables from the house. Having a design that doesn’t work is a fire in the kitchen. Put the fire out first! This issue is all about priorities. Effective problem solving often requires doing first things first.
Middle
My goal is to improve the design. Everything else will stand in line behind these choices. I recall that I like the dark textured areas, so I am going to make these more prominent. I need the eye to travel throughout the painting so dark textures get placed accordingly. Value contrast (light vs dark) is key to good design, so I am going to create a light beehive shape and add some black and white elements. I also opt for adding more cool color sections to create a better balance between warm and cool. You might note that as I added new areas, I automatically got rid of some of the offenders. The last addition – I changed the orientation from vertical to horizontal as it was more pleasing to me. Finally, I get to edit. Out the door are the desaturated yellow textured strips because they distract from the dark textures. The pea green elements seem to add nothing. Gone.
How does this apply to life?
Recognize which of these skills you favor, creating or editing. Ask “Do I need to add something new or start sweeping?” This idea seems simplistic, yet it can be a time-saver, and make cleaning up even more fun if you have a rich source to work with. While valuable to create space for new things to happen, focusing on what you DO want pushes the undesirable aside almost automatically.
End
There is only one thing I don’t like and that is the light-yellow beehive in the middle. It draws too much attention from the flow of the painting, so I tone it down. After considering options and taking a rest from the painting, I am still unsure if the painting is done. I turn to my Art2Life Academy buddies for their input. Thus, bright yellow lines in the right upper corner. Now it’s done!
How does this apply to life?
I value harmony in artwork and in life. Being a harmonious part of the whole is often a more satisfying choice than stealing the show. Quieting the beehive facilitated this. It reminds me to listen to people without too much focus on my opinions. Back to the painting. When you are not sure about something, reach out for help. Other people will see your work with fresh eyes.
Beyond the End
Here is the painting shown in a room. In case you are wondering how I titled the painting, Ann Artz, a lovely and talented coach with the Art2Life Academy, suggested I create rhythm in the painting by highlighting the upper right corner. She also associated the painting with jazz. This is not the first time someone has made this connection which surprises me. Honoring this influence, I selected a jazz singer I am very fond of, Norah Jones, and a song I love, “Come Away With Me.” Reminds me of my dear husband…..
How does this apply to life?
I do love jazz but I am not consciously trying to paint it. Happenstance occurrences can point us in a direction. Also, our unconscious mind can be in the driver’s seat without us even being aware of it. Happenstances and the unconscious are potential rich sources of inspiration.