This weekend I had the privilege of showing these four pieces at The Art Center Small Works Invitational in Dumas, Texas. The exhibit is through March 17, 2017 and if you’re in the area, stop by! The artist’s reception was yesterday and it was fun seeing my friends and their work and snacking on refreshments. There were many interesting pieces and styles represented from artists in the area. Click here to email me about these pieces!
Each one of these was created as an experiment. Scribbles here, different underpainting there. Mark making variations, and a “if I did this what would happen” attitude. They are small (each about 5×5″ except the snow scene which is 8×8″) and are some of my favorite pieces. They were spontaneous experiments in technique and style. There was no “big paper pressure” and since I learned how to paint by painting small daily works, these felt very natural.
“The big art world” out there can feel daunting to some. Organizations, artist friends, the public. Clients, exhibits, shows. Galleries, museums, competitions. Not to mention the pressure from ourselves! We are our own worst critics. Pushing ourselves to get better, be better. Produce! Compete! Win!
But remember, competition is not what brought you to art, so don’t let it be what keeps you there….
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
My studio is my playground and no one makes the rules but me. When you simplify what we do, how glorious and lucky we are to have the freedom to play. We create with different colored supplies. We can make whatever we want! We are the soul behind our work and the work is the heart expressed. How brilliant and amazing….
Tomorrow I have a sweet special guest over on my Youtube channel bringing a project that is sure to please. The importance of play in the studio…
Today, I encourage you to play and paint just for fun. Forget about the upcoming shows or deadlines you may have. Paint for yourself and see what happens. Make a mess with a new experiment or technique. Try something new and different for you. Let me know what it is! I can’t wait to see what you make.
xoxo
Bethany
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I usually have a couple of ongoing formal projects in my studio…right now 2- a pastel portrait and a landscape in oil. There are many days when I can’t really muster up the focus required for these longer formal works, but i still need to paint, so I’ll use a small surface and just mess around. Play. Do something i would never do in a formal painting. It is a great way to discover and remain productive on low energy days.