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Winter is a time for studio work and I have been unearthing old paintings and reworking them.  The paintings weren’t bad - they were inspirations that never fledged and sat waiting until I had the insight to finish them.

The first time the reference material was my inspiration. I was working from life or a photograph and felt obligated to replicate what was before me.  Now without reference the only question becomes what do I want the painting to say?   Is it about drama, color, movement, or quiet?  The bones of the compositions are there to flesh out any way I choose. 

           Before: There was some lovely color but too many spots that wanted equal attention.

I cropped the painting and softened edges to make the composition more cohesive. 

The enjoyment of working on these comes from a lack of investment.  I don’t care if they come out or not.  I was unhappy with them in the first place so I can do whatever I like to improve them.   Reworking these paintings is studio playtime.

Zigzag got more zip in the reworking of the sky and darkening of the foreground

Another benefit is viewing the work with a seasoned eye.  With time and knowledge it is easy to see where compositions went wrong.   I can correct shapes and edges, extend value ranges and shift colors. They are a record of an artistic journey and give me an appreciation of my younger self.  I remember the joy of learning color and I see that radiate through the early work. 

This is a pastel from 20 years ago.  I darkened and softened the mid-tones and then cropped it to add mystery to the light source.

Not all of the reworked paintings are successful.  Some go back to the shelf to wait again. Those beyond rescue get wiped off or painted over.   Successful or not, reworking old paintings has been an enjoyable exercise.  The bonus is I am clearing off my shelves and have new paintings to enjoy and market.