Modern Mixed Media – Week 2

The art of not giving up immediately!

I fell a good bit behind in my course. As we went on holidays I was first busy with work and travel preparations. And once there not paiting as much.

But all good - I finalized the week 2 project eventually. This lesson was about exploring colour palettes and creating botanical studies. Before bringing it together in a painting with botanicals and abstract background.

For me though it was a test of mindset. With everything being a bit out of step and the first "real" piece I felt myself sliding bak into old patterns. I loved the background I created, but then dragged my feet putting in the botanical sketches. When I finally did, I messed up a corner by choosing way to contrasty mark. Suddenly the whole thing felt off balance. I was quite disappointed and tried to safe it in a panic. Making it even worse of course. I finally managed to rescue it somewhat, but I was really down and unhappy about it.

I needed a day or two until I stopped and told myself off for such an attitude. I am in this course to learn, experiment, grow. Not everything needs to be perfect - that goes for such pieces and much as for sketches. In fact it would be weird if most of it was pefect at first try. And I tought: If I created it before, I can create it again. What did I love about the background and the piece? What works? What needs to change?

So I set down again and painted two more versions of the background with the same colour palette. And guess what? I liked one even better than the original try! Having two also allowed me to try a few more things.  In the end I pulled it off roughly how I had imgined it.

Yay! That was such a cool feeling. Not just because I really like the painting. But because it's always so good to win over your own critical mind.

Here's the result. The piece was inspired by the beautiful current fall flowers and coneflower seat pods. They are all around at the moment and I love seeing them every time.