Unlike many of my artist friends, I do not have a studio where I can go and paint undisturbed. My studio is our sun porch, located on the western side of the house. Since this is August in Georgia, I paint in the mornings before the sun comes around the corner and raises the temperature to almost 100 degrees. In addition to that, I must banish Lily Pearl to the nether regions to prevent her from becoming a technicolor cat instead of her usual pristine white.
I've been working on our latest Southern Colours art project - creating a painting that includes 5 of 8 predetermined elements - metal, pepper, wine glass, pot, flower, fabric, seed pod, clock. I've decided to post my progress.
The clock is mostly finished at this point. It is an Ansonia more than 100 years old that Carl bought from a friend when we lived in Ohio. It is almost finished except for the hands. I can't decide what time it should be. Perhaps it will be the time I finally finish this painting. Or perhaps it will be a time that is significant to me. Or perhaps the hands will simply partially cover those numerals that gave me fits.
This morning made me wonder why in the world I chose a subject with so much detail and so many curves and circles. Have you ever tried to draw and paint a recessed circle within a circle? Especially one that is facing away from you and is not really a circle? I can only blame it on Bill Hosner, my most recent workshop teacher, whose advice is to always choose the harder subject when faced with a choice. I can safely say he would be proud of me.
I think I'll work on the lamp tomorrow. After all, this is a pastel and I must start at the top and work down in order to avoid ruining anything I might have completed at the bottom. Or I could turn the painting over and work upside down. We'll see.
