It’s Friday again, which means my weekly 52 Paintings post aka #paintisaverb time. Here’s 3/2015. It’s also the start of the Australia Day long weekend in only 8 hours. I should have painted a kangaroo or something else patriotic! Damn you beginner skill levels.
This week I’ve been reading about painting and I am even more in awe of artists than I usually am! As I go from just liking paintings in a gallery, or now on my Instagram feed as I follow more artists, and realise what’s involved, it makes me think painting (done well) really is incredible.
The layers, the choices of materials and mediums, choosing subject matter, finding inspiration and time, the practice… sheesh.
I’m experimenting. I don’t know what’s working and what’s not, but I’m posting this because I really want to make sure I don’t fall into “that’s not good enough to share”. This is just me playing with paint, exercising my creativity, looking for my style or voice or whatever it is people look for. Or it is nothing but amateur and silly play. Either works for me!
In fact, I think that’s something worth challenging – all the “good enough” noise in our heads. Who the hell gets to decide what’s good enough (or not) about my creative play? And why should I care?
Well, there’s my humanity and desire to get a thumbs up or a well done every now and then. BUT I can’t live solely on external validation – not as a painter anyway!
So, here’s 3/2015.
And here’s to play being play, and that being my thumbs up for the week.
I hope you make time to play this weekend – paint, doodle, throw a frisbee, make popcorn the old fashioned way, get your crochet on… do something that makes you feel good.
Happy weekend friends.
Cheers,
Annette
I Give You The Verbs 
Is there any other way to make pop corn?
I completely agree – why are we so scared to put this stuff out there? So scared that sometimes it can make us stop doing at all simply because of that fear. For years sometimes. That’s messed up.
x
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There sure is! I’ve got a cool air popper machine – super quick popcorn, anytime.
Why are we so scared? Really, it is kind of egotistical of us… this year I am DETERMINED to put more less than polished stuff out there – pushing back against too much tweaking and overworking.
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I have a friend in NZ who is now just in her final year doing her Masters Degree in Art… she is an older student in her late 40’s. Finally being able now to give her interest a voice after years of child rearing etc. I am in total awe of her and what and how she paints…she was a great doodler in her teens but never a painter. Like you when you are either ‘doing’ the painting yourself or watching someone evolve their craft you do take on a new and real appreciation of the skills involved. The use of the mediums etc. The time that is needed to create as well. When I think back to the painting she did 4 years ago to what she is producing now – the transformation is truly incredible. I saw beautiful watercolour notecards yesterday in a shop here in SF and I thought of you and your use of watercolours – the simple note cards where a lovely way of making a useful and keepsake art for friends.
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I like the idea of notecards. That’s something I’d like to do.
Painting is like an endless stream you can wade into – I’m still on the pebbly beach, and the view is beautiful!
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Go you making art! Don’t think about what’s right or wrong just lean into the feeling and joy of making.
I have a hot air popcorn maker, colonel popper has been in the family since I was little!
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I am enjoying myself Lila! There is a little niggle about what’s “proper” but I’m trying to shoosh that up.
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I often pop by but don’t comment Annette!
i am a trained artist … i majored in painting and drawing with a minor in etching.
i think it’s fabulous that you have found a creative outlet in painting!
good on you for experimenting! that in my opinion is a good way to not become stifled or overwhelmed by too many techniques etc!
“LIFE, PAINT AND PASSION” ‘reclaiming the magic of spontaneous expression’ by Michele Cassou and Stewart Cubley
it’s a great “art as therapy” type of book … well worth it!
hope to be helpful love m:)X
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Thank you so much for commenting Merilyn.
It’s so encouraging to know people are reading, and then see something that makes them want to comment.
I’ll check that book out – I’m enjoying browsing through various books in between my novice paintings.
I’d love to see some of your work. Do you have a website?
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Annette I just think it’s great that you are playing, painting and sharing the process with your readers and followers. Staying with the enjoyment of doing it isn’t always easy. That pesky not good enough or why am I even doing this noise can really get in the way, but I think the more you tell it to be quiet the better everything is. Well done you!
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Thanks Emily! It’s fun to play.
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