Story Telling - Part of the Painting Process - Painting & Drawing Tips

Have you ever walked into a play that has already started? 

 Lights, sounds and action are in full gear.  

You first thought is where am I?  What's going on? 

 You feel displaced.  Overwhelmed.  

Discombobulated!!

Reference for STUMP TALES - Resilience, Rebirth, Renewal come to mind when I see this Stump

As your eyes grow accustom to the light, your ears begin to filter the sound into an orderly fashion and your thoughts become gathered, you know what is happening.  Well, you think you know. Sometimes you become settled and in the flow and sometimes the flow never does come to you.  

It's a bit like seeing a painting.  

You stop and look at the painting.  Your eye is caught by colours, shapes and movement. You wonder, why is it that colour? How did this idea come about?   You probably aren't really 'discombobulated' but I am sure you have questions.  Wouldn't it be nice to talk to the artist?

STUMP TALES: The layout.  So much life encapsulated within the stump. 

Every work of art has a birth story.  

As you work, do you think about this story:  Why did you chose this subject. How did you decide on the perspective. What made you chose this medium.  Even the size and shape of the finished piece reflects your thoughts. What you felt was important.  What you wanted to emphasis.  

I have been dong video interviews with artists at our local gallery as part of the gallery's virtual art shows.  It really made me think about my practice and what my work means to me.  Some pieces are quick without much of a story while others are meaningful and have deep, rich, depth of meaning for me.  

(Check out January's GALLERY TALK with Jim Hatch. Jim is the featured artist in our Community Gallery for January.  As part of the Virtual Show, the gallery has arranged with me to do an interview with Jim about his work.  Hearing his stories added greater depth and meaning as I viewed his work.  FYI Going forward, I will be conducting interviews with each of the monthly featured artists at the gallery.  See Jim's show and hear his stories HERE.)

STUMP TALES: As the colours are added it begins to come to life. 

Stump Tales is one of those meaningful pieces. . . .

Hiking forest trails is a favourite for me.  They must have big old cedars, scraggy old cottonwoods dripping with moss, lush dense ferns billowing out of the ground and a babbling brook winding along the trail.  I am lucky, I have such a place not far from home and I walk there often.  

Stump Tales is about one of the old stumps on my trail.  

I am fascinated with the life oozing out of this stump.  No matter the season there is always action: ferns unfurling, covering the ground with beds of green.  Active blackberry vines creeping up the sides and winding into the grooves.  Lush, deep beds of moss clutching the roots and branches. A bushy tailed squirrel scampering for cover.  

I decided I wanted to paint it. 

It had to be a long, thin picture to emphasis the upward growth. The feeling of everything, stretching and reaching.  I needed to use my pens to get deep, dark lines.  Almost like etchings of layers of life laced over the stump. 
But I also wanted colour. I wanted to make it more than a dark shadowy area buried deep in the forest.  Amongst the decay and crumbling wood there is so much new life.  Bright greens, yellows and reds were needed to bring this new life forward.

  

STUMP TALES: WIP - I like the idea of a purple background, it gives  the feeling of abundant life around the stump.  

I am enjoying working on this piece . . .

Sorry,  but I was not able to finish Stump Tales in time for this blog post.  I am really enjoying working on it and do not want to rush it. I want my Stump to appear to pop out of the background so I need feel my way as I get close to the end  (I will give you an update of the finished piece, in a later post.) 

Do you feel the story behind your work?  Does it bring meaning to you, as you work on it?  Is it part of your 'joy' in your creativity?  Have you ever articulated your thoughts? 

I think the Story of a Painting is an important. 

It adds another layer of depth and meaning to a piece of art work.  It expands the conversation between the artist and the viewer.  I am enjoying my work with GALLERY TALKS as I find interviewing artists has turned into inspirational activity for me.  I get to hear their stories. It definitely enriches my experience as I view their work.  Very inspirational.  

See GALLERY TALK with Jim Hatch by Wendy Mould HERE.    

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

  Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)

Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings.  I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals.  I am a sounding board, coach and teacher,  with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward.  More info here.   Looking forward to Zooming with you.  

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy