A fall out from exposure to Jimmy Wright's pastel sunflower series and my upcoming demo at Suburban Art League on June 2, 2009.
I spent some studio time with a "curvy " model sunflower, and built it up on a Sabretooth pastel paper sheet. Working directly on the turq-blue paper, no under-painting, going to the soft ammunition, Rembrandts, Sennelier, Unison, Rowney (for highlights and line work).
Catastrophe with clogged nozzle of spray fixative !!! Which I hardly ever use. Lumpy spots of fixative everywhere on the surface, also spray killed that color. Faced it to the wall.
After 2 days, I looked at it and decided to work on a portion of the paper - "what the hell, it cannot get any worse"- pockmarked and flattened color, one step away from the garbage.
"Try to remember it is the JOURNEY, and this piece that is the story."
Well - it was an OK struggle, this time. The wonderful soft pastels can overcome the physical damage, if I can overcome my fear and continue to work the surface. Using a stiff brush to remove several layers, and start reapplying this magic medium that I love.
Voila, a smaller, kinder painting.
I like do a rehearsal Demo before my in-class Demo, to overcome my fear of working in public. I have no fear of speaking in public, however I hate to be exposed as when a painting does not go well. A painting going downhill fast is bad enough--to do it in front of witnesses is really disheartening!
OK, so this is on a sanded Art Spectrum Colorfix surface, under-painted with Alcohol and Pastel, (which I will also demonstrate ) a charcoal sketch, and soft pastel application of a Sunflower with "Personality".
Monday, June 1, 2009
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