Prelimary Sketch: Exhibit- War and Its Suffering
This weekend I spent quite a bit of quiet time re-reading notes and underlines from several books I have read in preparation for my upcoming exhibit dealing with war and the suffering it leaves in its wake. I've tried to observe and pay attention to how I go about this process. It's weird, really. It doesn't necessarily have any rhyme or reason, but I go with it. Sometimes I use quotes, sometimes general feelings events evoke. Sometimes I go by something I have directly experienced. It could be a phrase or even a word that sparks an idea in my head that I want to address.
I had hoped to get started on this first painting today. It is a 30x40" gessobord with a 2" birch cradle (sides). Mondays are tough, because I have other needs to take care of...today I mailed two sold paintings and some cards, deposited some money in the bank, etc. But, I also took into myself (it's how I have to describe it...) the idea for this painting. I have to internalize the feelings it brings.
When I stood on Omaha beach in Normandy last summer, I was struck by its beauty. Its serenity. The smooth sand, the breeze softly kissing my face, the sounds of seagulls and lapping water. What an incredible planet we live on, I thought. And then I turned my thoughts to the young men who killed and died on that very shore seventy years ago. The carnage, the chaos, the anger and sorrow. I knew I would paint about that some day. Tomorrow I begin the painting. Today I sketched my idea and envisioned it in my mind. My best time to envision is laying in my bed with my eyes closed, in total silence. My plan is to paint the essence of the beauty I experienced on that beach. On top of this beauty, I will tape off what will become "windows". On top of this remaining beauty I will paint chaos and darkness, wreckage and sorrow. I wasn't sure I wanted to tell you all of this ahead of time, because most of the time paintings really change from your initial idea to the finished painting. But, this is the life of an artist, at least this artist. Tomorrow I will show you my next steps...we'll see where this painting goes.
I had hoped to get started on this first painting today. It is a 30x40" gessobord with a 2" birch cradle (sides). Mondays are tough, because I have other needs to take care of...today I mailed two sold paintings and some cards, deposited some money in the bank, etc. But, I also took into myself (it's how I have to describe it...) the idea for this painting. I have to internalize the feelings it brings.
When I stood on Omaha beach in Normandy last summer, I was struck by its beauty. Its serenity. The smooth sand, the breeze softly kissing my face, the sounds of seagulls and lapping water. What an incredible planet we live on, I thought. And then I turned my thoughts to the young men who killed and died on that very shore seventy years ago. The carnage, the chaos, the anger and sorrow. I knew I would paint about that some day. Tomorrow I begin the painting. Today I sketched my idea and envisioned it in my mind. My best time to envision is laying in my bed with my eyes closed, in total silence. My plan is to paint the essence of the beauty I experienced on that beach. On top of this beauty, I will tape off what will become "windows". On top of this remaining beauty I will paint chaos and darkness, wreckage and sorrow. I wasn't sure I wanted to tell you all of this ahead of time, because most of the time paintings really change from your initial idea to the finished painting. But, this is the life of an artist, at least this artist. Tomorrow I will show you my next steps...we'll see where this painting goes.