the idea: when a painting is close to done, take it out of the studio and put it in another environment to see if it can stand on its own

I haven’t had nearly as much time as I would have liked to be in the studio during the first half of this year.  But, I got a book out of my time away so I guess it was worth it.

Finally, though, I am getting back in there to paint and found to my surprise that one of my paintings was almost completely done.  trying to figure this out, when a painting is actually done, is always difficult.  The way I look at it, is if I don’t know what else to do to the canvas that probably means I shouldn’t do anything.  Most of the time I know right away that this area is too dark, this side needs more blue, these shapes are too bold, etc.  But when I look at the painting and don’t know what to do, that’s when I know that it’s ready for the next step: to stand on its own.

Art undergoes an incredible transformation when it leaves the studio, whether it’s a painting on a white wall, a sculpture in an uncluttered room, or a piece of ceramics not surrounded by clay dust, I always find myself looking at my artwork in an entirely new way.  Sometimes this can be a little heart-breaking, like sending one of your children off to live on their own, but it is also my last test to see if it’s done or not.  In fact, one I did that to this piece I realized that I needed a little more blue.  Now that it’s added, I’ve officially finished my first painting for 2013.

Finally!