Thursday, February 19, 2015

Don't agonize -- Paint.

Clouds over the marsh
(work in process today's version
Acrylic on cradled birch panel
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2015
I'm getting ready for a number of shows now.
Here's my dilemma -- I paint people, food
and landscapes plus small paintings of whatever
I see.  So what should I concentrate on?  People
-- my top specialty, food -- which I love to paint,
and is the subject of my largest painting, or
landscapes with cloud -- a current passion?

I can't find the quote now, but I am sure it was
Bob Burridge who said "Don't agonize -- paint!"
 Good advice.  So I am.  This is a little cloud
painting I started almost two weeks ago. It's
coming along, but not quite finished.  See if
you can see what's changed.

This marsh just down the road from our schoolhouse
 near Pugwash Nova Scotia is dear to me.  Painting
from the photo reference I keep seeing more
and more small lines of water.  Because of course
the marsh is at one end of the Wallace River,
a tidal river, and it fills up with water when
the tide is in.
Earlier version
Clouds over the marsh
Acrylic on cradled birch panel
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2015
Have a refusing-to-agonize day.

5 comments:

Karen Bruson said...

Beautiful marsh painting.
I agonize over the same thing. I jump around from subject to subject, but you are right, just paint!

Barbara Muir said...

I so love your paintings Karen. I wonder if these ideas of 'stick to one subject' come from artists, and I think not. What if you have 3 or 4 bodies of work? If you can fill a room at the MoMA with a choice of subjects is that bad? I don't think so. I look forward to seeing your work there!

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Flora Doehler said...

Great advice Barbara!
Last week I was feeling unfocused and stepped into the studio, put the music on and picked up my brush. That part of us that needs to paint continues on and can actually transport us to a new state of mind. And the more often we can paint, the easier the transition.
I am so enjoying your cloud series and love where you are going with this one. ooxxoxoxoxo

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Flora,

Thank you. I think you're right. It can really take us away from everything else and back to what matters -- making some art.

You've made me happy. I so love your work!

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Nicki said...

I am not that inspired this winter, but I have also heard the advice to just paint. "Paint painter, paint!" That is what I am trying to do... and you are a pro at sketching, painting, observing, creating.

Thank you for showing the way.
Hugs to you,
Nicki

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!