The Gala Is Over

Gala, Oil on Canvas, 36" x 48"

I hauled the canvas to our top floor to look at it in natural light and in a non-studio setting yesterday. There were some obvious, but teensy adjustments to be made and that was it. I have signed off on the painting. It is complete. I have eaten the remaining chocolates!

So... why do I feel so down? It is rather typical of me to feel this way after doing such involved pieces. I suspect that there is more to the subject than meets the eye and that can scare me. More likely, it's because I recognize the time I allotted escaped me and that I have an awful lot of work to do to catch up. (There is a tentative show scheduled of the new work for October/November!) There are currently four oil paintings and a mere 2 pastels. I need almost triple those numbers to fill the space. I can do it, but I must avoid rushing things and sacrificing quality. I suppose the non-apple pieces (there are 3 or 4) could make it in, but I was really hoping for all apples.

Travel plans are in the works and focusing will get harder - especially when the weather is so perfect outside! There is a silly, non-apple set-up awaiting in the studio. Will try to make that quick and contemplate the next oil.

Mantra for the month of July: "I think I can. I think I can..."

Enjoy.

The End Is Still Near

I began work on the orchid flowers and then took some time away for visits. I'm hoping to get into the studio today and finish them up, but have an appointment right, smack-dab in the middle of the day, so that is an unlikely event. I will try to sneak into the studio before I have to leave. It would be nice to finish up today since it's my father's birthday.

It is very difficult for me to keep the flowers simple. A few have sharpness and detail, but that will work as long as they don't all get that way. I changed one fold in the fabric that is still bothering me. The curve is just wrong and needs adjustment. Now that I've written it here, I will remember to make those changes! Looking at the image, I feel the darkness has been lost in the righthand section. I am hoping it is just glare from the wet paint. We will have to wait and see...

Enjoy.

The End Is Near

Well, that's how it feels. I worked up all the apples, re-worked the compote a tad and "finished" the candy wrapper. I can't decide if I love or hate the wavy edge of the compote. Almost liked the previous version better. Will look at it again today. The orchids are calling me.

Why do I feel crappy about it though? All of the sudden, I'm in a panic about the overall quality. Is it overworked? Have I gotten too detailed? Is it just like all the other paintings I've ever done? Is there a way to think about painting the orchids differently than I am thinking now? I'm very worried that OCD Girl is at work here. Should I walk away and do a pastel before I tackle them? Is my reaction here because I received my 5th straight rejection in a row for a juried show?

Gardening on such a lovely day may be the solution.

At any rate, here it is...

What A Difference A Day Makes

Well, it was not my intention to work on apples at all just yet. While at the grocery store the other day, I picked up a few "replacement" Gala apples because the one off by itself was rotting. The stack in the bowl are doing just fine, but will start to fade soon if the temperatures stay warm. Being in the basement space with the dehumidifier has helped, but I know I'm pushing my luck in taking so long to paint them.

When I went down this morning, I just couldn't look at the putrid brown thing anymore. I picked the one replacement apple that had the same overall shape and put it in. That led to wanting to paint it - of course!

The color in these apples is rather difficult to recreate, but I feel I'm on the right track. I'm using Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White and even some Viridian to get these things right! I am quite satisfied and pleased with how I captured the solo apple. Now to get the others up to par.

Here it is as of today. Yum.