The Importance of Play
I ended 2018 by watching a video by artist Kevin MacPherson. The 3.5-hour video is called Winter Escape and consists of a demo of the artist working from several studies to create a studio work that feels as fresh as a piece painted in plein air. The video is filled with thoughtful insights on the process of painting, but what spoke to me most was the close-ups of the thick, juicy paint and the variety of brush work.
This video inspired me to take a day off to play with paint in the studio. I am so fortunate to be a working artist, but the deadlines and requirements of the job can lead to creating work that is competent but lacks inspiration. Giving myself a play day, where there is no responsibility of outcome, allowed me to try out new ideas. I played with the paint in a new way - frosting the canvas and moving the paint so it expressed form. I paid extra attention to the pressure of the brush by using light pressure to layer the color or heavier pressure to cut into or push the layers around. I experimented with different brushes and knife work to sculpt the paint to my liking. As I played, my mind wandered to other paintings I am working on. I began to think of ways of applying the paint that would elevate the current works that were beginning to feel stagnant. I am refreshed, inspired and excited to return to the easel.
I am going to make “play time” an integral part of my work.
The drawing: the canvas was toned with yellow ocher and the shapes were drawn to create a path for the eye to follow
Finding the parameters by placing the lightest light and darkest dark on the canvas. This helps me create the middle value which covers most of the painting
Jigsaw puzzle: shapes are painted next to each other to test how the colors and values relate.
The Block in: all the values and colors are in place, the rest is refinement.
A close up of the snow: the surface is more exciting if the paint is laid down and left alone.
You can find the Kevin MacPherson video along with other inspiring videos here:
https://data.fineartstudioonline.com/boldbrush/video/
In 2019, I will be adding some new elements to my website including a critique service, online teaching and mentoring. The learning curve is steep and it will take a while to make these services available. I would love to hear suggestions about topics you would like me to cover.
