More process...and WHY.

 

Mt Evans from the top of our mountain...Thanksgiving Day...not a lot of strong sun...

Sometimes I have people ask me why I work in so many different media.  I used to be confused by this question, before I understood it myself...duh..! HA

My answer is that I have a drive inside me that is probably why I can't be satisfied just doing, but I need to teach as well...I am incredibly curious and driven to find as many ways to describe something that intrigues me as I feel the need to. My curiosity is GIANT! I am curious about life and why people do what they do, I'm curious about painting a mountain and describing a mountain in collage to see it in different ways (and each way is a new revelation!), I'm curious as to how people learn best and that drives me to find ways to reach everyone I come into contact with in a teaching situation. I am also appreciative. I appreciate everything God gave me to see, and I want to see it in as many ways as I feel a need to.  I want to be involved in seeing it in more ways than just with the eye.  I want to feel intuitive about it, I want to experience seeing it! If you think about it doesn't curiosity and appreciation and drive describe all of us in one way or another?

It is awesome when I meet someone who has found that "perfect" way for them to describe their appreciation for the beauty that inspires them to create!  There are a lot of you who have found THAT...and I follow so many and am inspired by YOU ALL! My friend a fellow artist Carol Nelson has found TWO very successful ways to express her creativity and she is very successful at BOTH...click on her name to see her website...

For me, the drive to show my reaction and appreciation to something that inspires me is strongly rooted in having the freedom to express it in various ways.  I don't know how long this will be this way...but I know that if someone tells me I must choose I feel frozen to choose.  For me, right now, it feels like I would if  I had to choose between my children...which is impossible!  I show my love to each of them in the way that is unique to them. I am adult enough to be aware that this drive poses a problem for me in the selling...ahhh sigh...I must seem confusing to some...and that is a hindrance...BUT I won't give up there either...There HAS to be a way.  People are different...perhaps I will appeal to different people with my different approaches...Perhaps...sigh again...

I go through phases...right now I LOVE my oils and I want to work in them all the time...except like yesterday when I went to teach and I was curious about how to describe Mt. Evans in collage.  This is how far I got yesterday.  The high school kids were SO self directed and I had so much time off between classes I was able to do a good amount....

I brought this Mt. Evans collage home and this morning I woke up and BAM...I was hit in the face with the fact that I had put the peak right smack dab in the middle of the panel! AAARRRGGGHHH!!  How many times have I done this when it was my every intention to NOT do it!!  But, no worries...the awesome thing that happens is my mind immediately goes to how I can offset this...with foreground trees on either side (which the photo has) that will make the piece a bit more asymmetrical...hmmmm.....AND, that isn't the only hurdle to overcome...the papers are awesome, but there is snow and shadow (not the best photo for painting)...and values that need to be shown a little more in contrast than the actual photo...hmmmmm....that is an interesting challenge. And, I'm working on the snowy areas...playing with process...as you can see in the detail pic.

I want to paint Mt. Evans in oil as well, but I will also work this to a conclusion.  I am CURIOUS as to how the two will live together within the framework that is me...always curious...sigh...smile...

HAPPY CREATING everyone!!  Now I'm off to work on this challenge I've made for myself.