It’s a blue sky February Saturday, it’s still & peaceful and this is a slice of life I truly cherish. The quiet putter, errands mixed with book reading, shelf organizing, coffee with a friend, a productive and relaxed kind of Saturday.
This still life in oil was painted in a three day in person class I took in December. It was terrible timing for me. It was cold and rainy. I was over committed work wise and felt guilty for taking three days to paint. It was awkward because I hadn’t painted much and I wasn’t in the mood to be social (three days in a row!) and…it was absolutely perfect and exactly what I didn’t know I needed. I’m using that class and the unexpected gifts that came from it for two creative reminders: uncomfortable is the precursor to growth (dang, again???) and the less is more concept. It was a still life class and the invitation was skies the limit for what we wanted to bring to incorporate what was already provided (flowers, fabrics, a lovely assortment of vases…). I know myself well enough to know that if I’m not carting around something vintage or a fancy tea or sweet treat, I might seize at the easel AND…I didn’t overthink it. I popped 2-3 potential painting subjects in my canvas tote, gathered bare minimum oil paints, my brushes (which I’ve paired down to as few as possible), a palette, a few oranges to snack on (which became part of the subject) and a handful of canvases. It’s only taken fifteen years but I’m learning!
Bringing too much to the easel whether its’ supplies, ideas or props can cause creative analysis paralysis. Three days, one painting. Well, I didn’t completely follow the directions however, I took them to heart. I slowed down, I enjoyed the group, the chatter, the silence the unexpected lessons our instructor demo’d for us. It was a perfectly imperfect still life.
Happy Saturday! xo
“Citrus & Sweet Still Life” 11×14″
