Finished? In Progress? Hmmmm....

Sometimes I work on a painting and there is this magical "IT'S FINISHED" feeling, at which point I sign it and waste no more fretting on it. Actually, on the rare occasion that a painting flows freely, it is such a euphoric feeling. Other times, I'll work on a painting for months, never quite "feeling it." If a painting REALLY stinks, I just paint over it. But those in-between paintings give me the most grief. I don't want to paint over them, yet something isn't jiving. Above is just THAT type... I don't know what to do with it.

There are elements of this painting that I DO like... actually, on their own, I like all of the elements. Somehow, there is a depth that is missing that prevents me from having that relieved IT'S DONE moment. So I'm going to keep plugging away at it, trying to resist the temptation to paint over it. And yes, I signed it prematurely.

Above is another painting I'm working on that falls more into the "effortless" category. Somehow, it just all came together (so far) in a way that pleases me. I didn't plan this one out (as is my norm.) I just squirted some paint on the canvas and smeared it around with a palette knife until I "saw" the city materialize. I took the paint's guidance and formed more buildings around it. Now I'm not quite sure where I'm going to go with it, but I have a few ideas knocking around in my vacuous noggin. I'm going to try to be better about posting as my works progress, for my own sake. I think it's beneficial to look back and remember where my work stemmed from. After so many weeks and layers, a painting may totally morph from its infant form and initial concept (not that I hang on too tightly to original concepts, but still.)

Okay! Time to get moving! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Renee :)

First Art of 2012

I sometimes wonder if all artists get "painter's block" or if it is just some of us unfortunate few? Anyway, I am enjoying an extended period of inspiration and motivation, although I seem stuck on the same subject matter (yes, MORE flowers.) I just finished my latest work in my Vase Series, although numbers were never my strong point and I forget where I am in the series now. So I'm calling this one "Red Sunflowers" and pretending like I didn't want to assign a number.

I believe my vase series is about to end, however. I have been "seeing" different images in my mind that I want to translate onto canvas. 

When I first began painting, I played around with some abstract faces. Above are a couple painted several years ago that I deemed utter failures, but now that I look back on them, I can see some sort of promise there. I ended up painting over them for reasons I haven't really explored, but now I regret that I don't have them. Thanks to encouragement and goading from my WONDERFUL friends, I've decided to broaden my horizons and perhaps create a new series of faces. Maybe this time I will be better about keeping count so I can actually have an official series of 10 (or 5 or 12) or maybe I'll just continue being a complete space cadet and lose count at 3.

On the home front today, it is Superbowl Sunday. I'm not even sure which teams are attached to Tom Brady and Eli Manning but I'm making a ginormous pot of chili and allotting myself a couple of hours on the couch to watch boys in tight pants beat the crap out of each other. And, since my sprout and I are still in training for the Nashville Country Music Half Marathon in April, I'll have to fit in a little run today (which I should have already completed but I've enjoyed sitting around in my jammies, having coffee and blogging.)

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Renee :)

Works in Progress....

Winter has never been my favorite season. I don't mind the cold as much as I mind losing daylight so EARLY. I came home tonight, paced around the house nervously, ate everything that couldn't out run me, and then decided I needed to do something "productive" with my time. Which tonight, will be blogging. 

I've been playing with works on small little canvases. They all are at risk of being painted over at any second, but I'm trying to let ideas evolve and just have some fun without "wasting" too much time or paint. Above is my caged girl in progress... not sure where this one is going but I'm imagining some little imps, swinging in the branches.

Above is an old raven I did after downloading some works of Poe. I know there's nothing particularly artsy or abstract about it, but sometimes you just feel like you should collage a crow. So there.

And along the same lines, below is a tiny little work I call "Saturday Morning," which looks more like a "Saturday Morning Bloodbath" but that's merely coincidental. And the keys? Actually, I had ordered a necklace on Etsy and had just put it on there to remind myself to put it up and I thought it looked neat. I'm pretty certain this painting isn't long for this world, but I do like the general idea more than the unfortunate outcome. I sure would like some scrambled eggs now, though.

And last but not least is a painting that I really have grown to love, and for me to LOVE (and admit that I love) one of my paintings is pretty rare. I added more flowers, altered the colors of existing flowers, and put a few finishing touches on to ensure this one is FINISHED. Sometimes you just want to look at something that's pleasing and not feel like you have to "think" about it.

Okay! I'm off to have "reading time" with the family (which drove my 14 year old into bed at 9:15 to avoid it all together.) I started the Hunger Games series and, despite the teen love/angst, am just devouring the second book.

Renee :)

Random Ramblings...The TN Ragnar Relay AND New Art

Since my life has evolved into a cornucopia of crazed activity, I guess my blog must follow. Seeing that I started this blog to track my art evolution, I will post the art stuff first:

I am trying to evict that harsh and nasty art critic that lives somewhere in the wrinkles of my brain. I believe that art is for the ARTIST, and if there is an audience for the feelings that the artist puts on the canvas, then it is a bonus. When I started selling my art, I started to shift into a place where I was painting with an imaginary buyer in mind. I started to lose my creativity, vision, and passion. I started comparing myself to others, and not being very kind to myself. SOOO I declare that, from here on out, I am painting for ME. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want others to connect to my art, but it is more important that I connect to it or else there is no point. After all, anyone can go buy a pretty neat replica of a painting at Pier1, right? That being said, above is my next work in progress painted by my inner 5 year old. It is still is missing that elusive "something" that gives me the warm fuzzies, but I'm going to spend this rainy Sunday playing around with it.

On the running front, I accomplished another HUGE milestone for me. My son, a bunch of friends, and I ran the second annual Ragnar TN Relay from Chattanooga to Nashville. It was even more special for me because I thought a stress fracture that I suffered back in July had knocked me out of it, but somehow my old bone healed up and I was able to compete (and boy do I throw that word around loosely.)

In a nutshell, you have 12 people in 2 vans running nearly 200 miles. It was 30+ hours from start to finish with no sleep, no showering, no brushing of the teeth or combing of the hair, and 30 degree temperatures. And we PAID MONEY to do it. And it was WONDERFUL. Go figure. But, for non-athletic me, running has opened up a world of intense passion that I've never found elsewhere.... every run is a spiritual journey that simultaneously connects nature with soul. Go ahead and vomit. I understand.

Okay! I'm off to plan dinner and maybe drag out some of my Christmas decor and get this day going again!

Renee :)

Goblins in My Kitchen.... And a Steel Cut Oat Risotto Recipe

Happy Halloween, everyone! Halloween is one of my FAVORITE days, but this year I'm kind of bummed because #1) I have to work late tomorrow and will miss the throngs of children that haunt my neighborhood one day a year and #2) I don't have anything even remotely resembling an excuse to dress up. So I guess my witch hat will just gather some dust until next year.

Tonight I think I was visited by goblins in during my dinner prep. On the menu: sirloin steak and organic brown rice risotto with peas. After weeping my way through onion chopping, I measured my rice into the pan. As you do with risotto, I stirred the dry rice with the onions for a couple of minutes before adding the dash of white wine. But I kept noticing these little black specs that can only be described as miniature mouse droppings. So I kind of freaked out and even Googled "black specs in rice." Deciding that something was NOT right, I pulled out the bag of rice and poured it into a large glass bowl. At this point I discovered the rice was INFESTED with these tiny black bugs. I have to admit that I'd put so much time in prep to this point that I actually had the split second urge to count them as an extra source of protein and continue, but my better judgement took hold and I dumped the whole pan into the garbage.

If I'm nothing else, I think I'm resourceful so I scoured my cabinets (almost completely bare of because of my quest to eat mostly unprocessed foods) and found a container of steel cut oats. So here is my recipe for steel-but oat risotto (which I honestly think turned out better than a brown rice version would have!)

2 cups uncooked steel cut oats
32 oz. (approx.) chicken stock, warmed in a separate pan
dash of white wine (maybe 1/4 cup? I don't measure)
1-2 onions
fresh or frozen peas (uncooked)
one lemon
pat of butter
good quality Parmesan cheese
salt (I didn't need it) and pepper

Melt butter in pan over med-low heat. Add onions and sweat them (you don't want them brown, just soft) for about 5 minutes. Add oats and stir around for another 5 minutes. Add dash of white wine and stir until it's absorbed. Start adding broth (about a ladle at a time until it's absorbed) and stir constantly for about 15-20 minutes. When oats are creamy and al-dente, add peas. Squeeze in half your lemon, grate pepper and grate your cheese (however cheesy you like it.) YUM! I'd say it stands up to arborio rice any day.

I have had a SUPER productive day. I got up this morning and made a huge batch of peppermint and tea tree soap, did my grocery shopping, went for a 2.5 mile run (it was SO beautiful outside,) chopped and froze my weekly supply of veggies (makes cooking easier through the week,) and made tonight's dinner plus a giant pot of bean soup for tomorrow's dinner. The one thing I DIDN'T do (yet) is paint. Above is my latest finished painting... yes, I KNOW it is another vase. I'm going to force myself to branch out and at least try to resist the urge to add another vase to my series, but I "see" in shapes and colors and I just keep gravitating back to the same idea. But it's time to move on. And so I shall.

Okay! I just remembered I forgot my laundry in the washer! I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Halloween and don't get turned into a frog.

Renee :)

The Birds Bit the Dust....

I meant my PAINTED birds bit the dust. I really love whimsical art (obviously) but the bird painting that I was working on (below) just was feeling like WORK to complete. And I feel like the best paintings always happen easily and freely. So bye, bye birds.

PAINTED OVER!!!

I guess every artist has their own unique style of painting so I'm not going to beat myself up anymore for painting different versions of the same subject over and over. In this case, it is another abstract flower/vase. I didn't have a plan for this piece (as usual) but I happened upon some very inspiring paper. So, after painting over the birds and establishing a foundation color, I used the paper to collage my little scene. Then I went crazy with acrylic paint to finish the work.

On a personal note, since my stress fracture APPEARS to have healed, this past weekend I engaged in a 4 mile run through Cades Cove with a bunch of my friends. I have to admit, I was so focused on running that I didn't even realize how surreal and breathtaking the scenery was until I came home and viewed my pictures. It is hard to believe that I am lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places on this planet. It is even harder to believe that I spent so many years in front of a television that I didn't even get up and enjoy it.



We had to take off our shoes and wade the flood waters!



I hope you all have a wonderful day!


Renee :)

SWEET Holiday Weekend...

Boy, there is NOTHING like a holiday weekend to put me in a fantastic mood. I plucked my "little" sprout out of bed this morning and met some of my good friends out by the lake for a morning run (okay, I'm not cleared to run on the healing fracture YET but the walk was AMAZING.) Following the cardio, we had hard lunge workout led by our Ragnar Relay team leader. I was back home by 9:30 with my exercise already under my belt... what a PERFECT way to start the day.

On the art front, above is my finished vase painting. Yes, FINISHED. I have worked on that vase for what seems like an eternity, trying to get it right! And now it FINALLY feels "right." Yippee!!!

After watering my plants down (we need RAIN!) I worked on my little bird paintings a little. I go through spells where I just get hung up on a subject. Maybe that little yellow bird that hangs around hubby's sunflowers is my subconscious muse. Last week my brother came and took a couple of paintings of mine for his new house (yay!) and as a joke, traded an old license plate for them. So I took that old license plate and have started his Christmas present on it. Joke's on him!

The idea for the above painting came to me as I was going into a state of delirium on the exercise bike at the gym. I plan to get a big cup of ice water, turn on my Enya playlist, go into a painting trance and try to get some work done on this one while I'm feeling inspired.

I hope you all make this a WONDERFUL day for yourself!

Renee :)