Stuck in green


Please imagine that sound of a suction cup plopping off something. You know, the cute sound something makes when it's stuck to something and it comes off. Wish I knew how to spell that sound. Anyway...that's the sound I made today, not literally of course. The thing is I was stuck and didn't know it. Although it's obvious now (hindsight yes) that something was holding me back from actually starting my next piece.

Wouldn't you know it, it's another thing I obsess about. I have some unwritten RIDICULOUS rule that I'm not allowed to start a painting without finishing the current one. The last painting I had started back in September I think, was 90% done or done. I wasn't sure. And that's the thing, I wasn't 100% satisfied with it yet but I wasn't sure what else was missing. And then that stupid ass saying about knowing when to stop before you ruin something kept creeping up. So I left it alone for a while. Well, turns out it wasn't finished. Also turns out a decision I had made about the painting when I started is what was keeping me from knowing what was missing. It needed another color!!!! Big freakin' duh huh? Well I had decided that other than the background color of brown/beige it would only have green, in whatever shade/tone I needed. Again, a stupid rule I decided for the current series I'm working on. Have only one color represented in each piece. Well, as my painting has now clearly proven to me, rules and art simply don't lead to creativity. Rules stifle, rules inhibit, rules suffocate. Rules get you stuck! There always has to be flexibility and freedom. Guidelines are good to have some kind uniformity but don't necessarily produce the best work.

So while the "green" painting held me back, I could have started and finished at least one if not two paintings by now. So, lesson learned...hopefully!

Here's the sketch that is about to be my next completed "green" piece.


3 comments :: Stuck in green

  1. after getting unstuck, the creativity comes gushing out! that's what this looks like, a stream of droplets, one after another. -Diane

  2. Oh, I hate that stuck feeling as well. It's especially terrible with art, as I have so many unfinished pieces and the longer I am "stuck", the worse it gets. The inner critic gets involved, etc. Can't wait to see the final piece.

  3. Never rules always guidelines. ..oh and its spellled "schhhhhhlooop!!" ;)

    Kinda looks like a candle and in the top part its the flame and wax sharing the same aura space and the other ones below are melted aura. ;)

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