Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Make art, be happy

I was downtown just before lunch today and passed by our market square, Kingston has a lovely one. There is a public skating rink just behind city hall, and there were some lunch hour skaters gliding about. just dreamy.  one gal was even gliding around the rink chatting away on her mobile phone...o to be so sure footed!   The square is also a subject on my easel at the moment...the early morning light of a winter market day.  You can see the beginnings of it in the picture, I'm  figuring out tones, and even though I have an initial idea, you never know it might morph into another idea as I progress. 
I like that about oil painting...the ability to change direction if and when I feel like it.  Inspiration is best when it sneaks up on you and surprises you with an idea you may not have thought of.  There is a little quote by artist Robert Genn taped to my easel which I love...it inspires me, reminding me of process:  "Take your brush here and there like a bee in an alpine meadow. Watch the greater image materialize.  You need that thing over there to tell you what to do about that thing over here."
Concurrently, I have a nocturne on the go too...will post both when done.  It certainly feels good to get back in the saddle after a busy month of everything but painting!  Yesterday was so mild it was the perfect day to string up the outdoor lights and I've been baking quite a bit too. tra la la la la; la la la la!





7 comments:

  1. I love the outdoor lights! And I really would love to go to an outdoor skating rink. I suppose I need to learn to ice skate first though :)

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  2. Hi Keith, learning to ice-skate can be a challenging thing when one is an adult, as Australian friends found out when they came to visit a few winters ago! funny!

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  3. Loved hearing about your local square and look forward to seeing the painting that comes from it.It is on my bucket list to skate on an outdoor ice rink someday. I used to be proficient at roller skating but that was back in my teens. I have ice skated a few times but not since my twenties. I'd probably end up breaking something if I tried it at this age!
    I've just been catching up on your last few posts!

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  4. Hi Wendy, nice to hear from you! Hope you are enjoying your wonderful summer over there in Perth...the flower photos are making me drool! so lovely to get those tropical delights growing in your greenhouses.

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  5. What a lovely post and a beautiful painting in progress! So uplifting to read, thank you for sharing. Happy Holidays!

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  6. Hi Suzanne, I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and happy memories too.

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  7. Love your work so much, and your blog. Happy Holiday. I miss you.

    XOXO Barbara

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