06 May 2018

turn around

Feeling less than great about this painting.  With every added layer it decreases in visual flexibility.  Too much control on the part of the artist, methinks; I just can't seem to lose it.

augury no.14 in progress oil painting abstract

All right then, if that's the way it's going to be, let's apply some serious control.  Haul out the pencils and rulers!  Erasers, even!  (gasp)

work in progress, oil on canvas, graphite, charcoal, conte, drawing, painting

... and charcoal and conte and a bit of oil medium ...

work in progress, oil on canvas, graphite, charcoal, conte, drawing, painting

Well that turned out to be a pretty good response to the situation.  Once this layer is dry, I will add some subtle oil glazes.

I have been wanting to make paintings that have a similar feeling to the Tension : No Tension installation I created at the turn of the year, but was not sure how to translate the 3D into 2D.  Now I have a starting point.  Feeling excited about my work again, curious where these will go.

And, of course, when I get tired of exercising this level of control, I have those unfinished big loose paintings to turn to.  A beautiful balance, n'est-ce pas?

4 comments:

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Verna,

I wrote a response to this on my iPad, went to submit it, then poof! Gone.
Happens a lot. I love the painting, and your work in reaction to it. It is
beautiful! We artists can be crazy hard on ourselves.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

P.D. Crumbaker said...

C'est vrai!

Any exhibitions planned late August, early September? I may be in Canada, but not sure if I will be sticking totally to Vancouver area or heading east. Not really sure I will be there, either, but I'm working on it.

Verna Vogel said...

Hi P.D.,

Oui, c'est vrai indeed :)

No exhibitions per se, but my urban work is quite often up on the walls in the rotating exhibitions at Kurbatoff Gallery... Any chance you are coming through Calgary? It can be a quick stop-point between Vancouver and the rest of Canada :)

Cheers,
V

Verna Vogel said...

Hi Barbara,

Yeah, we can be crazy hard on ourselves - but also, we have these crazy beautiful visions which we are always striving to get closer to in our studios! *laughs*

Thank you for your compliments on my work, you beautiful artist you.

xoxoxo
V