Monday, May 17, 2010

Spring Thing: Week One


One week and a little while later...
I've been reading this book called "The Yellow House". It's about Van Gogh and Gaugin and the brief time they spent living together in Arles. Much of the book is about their process: how they lived, where they painted, what they painted. The descriptions inspired my "Spring" work. I'm embracing texture and bright colors and layering paint while trying to work quickly.

I spent far too much time contemplating the subject matter and not nearly enough time executing upon it this last week. I did get started and managed to block out color everywhere on the first sitting. Now to make the perspective more accurate.

We agreed not to discuss the subject matter or post photos of the work in progress, but I will share this one photo- my motivation to get started and move quickly. Some friends gave me this canvas to paint over. While somewhat Spring themed in it's own right, staring at it for days really motivated me to get started by simply painting over it. Hopefully someone doesn't feel the same way about the canvas when I'm through with it!


While I've made progress in burying this original work of art under minimal layers of gesso and paint, the clock is ticking and I'm headed to NY and CT for 6 days, which makes me a little nervous about completing this 36" x 36" monstrosity by the self imposed June 1st deadline.
Oh the pressure...

3 comments:

  1. Nicole, that book sounds amazing, wouldn't it be great to be a fly on the wall when those two were together?? Good Luck, that is a HUGE monster canvas!

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  2. I know! i find it fascinating. There are so many excerpts taken from correspondence with each other and various others, it's interesting to learn more about their daily lives. Things are just about to turn volatile too- who need reality tv? I'll send it your way when I'm done!

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  3. That would be awesome...I'll add it to my summer reading list.

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