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Whenever I take a break from painting and drawing, (and these breaks are always about making space for something else - in this case a family holiday and experiments in plastic), I always find it difficult to begin again. I can't remember where I left off, what I was thinking. This time I took a look at what I'd been doing and the barrier was that I wanted a bit of time to warm up before entering into that space because I liked some of the beginnings. I have never really used oil pastels, preferring chalk, and I wondered whether using an unfamiliar material would result in something different. This 16 X 24 cm drawing is a response to one of my unfinished paintings.
What with all this talk of snow again in the forecast, I got into a snow mind, rearranging some landmarks from my studio and beyond.
Woke up to white and the pink light of sun on snow. Not sure why I took today's big blank canvas and painted summer in Maine but the snow colours were definately on my mind. I think Figgy calls them 'sweet' colours. I worked the same way I had yesterday, inventing a scene in charcoal from drawings, memory/imagination and parts of a few photos. My challenge was to use some yellow green and make it believable.
Working from drawings, imagination and parts photos I began today with charcoal. It is drawing group Monday but what with the snow and not having the regular car I decided to stay home.
I began drawing because I wanted to consider the light and shapes. When I finished I realised I'd done what I often do, put a line down the middle of the space. Not sure why but I thought an ironing board would unify things, create some more complication and create a reason for the woman on the chair.
This is only a few hours of painting so will come back to it again, and probably again.
My preferred wayof working with pastels has always been plein air, or from life, anyway. This is a departure. I decided to draw from a painting that began as a drawing that I abstracted and invented. This is not as abstract as the painting, so more invented. I like the painterlyness of it.
This painting was stalled for some time. I wondered what would happen if I collaged some pastel drawing motifs onto it. It was obviously Maine so I found a few drawings and attempted to translate the energy to the painting. I put one of Rose Hilton's catalogs at my feet and began.
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