Spring Fling -Work in Progress

Spring Fling - Oil  12x24

This is still very much a work in progress.  The photo does not do the background justice, and I hope to catch a better shot of the colors in the deep darks later.   I started this painting with the deeper shadow colors and the flowers were very blue up until this stage.  I am working up through the lights and the highlights as well as what I call the peek-through colors in very thin layers so the white doesn't come on too strong or too soon.  This is very enjoyable and relaxing.  Bringing in the purples, yellows and greens that peek through the white and blue.  The piece has nice flow and reads well.  The challenge is still the center of interest.  I am one to break rules and I do not mind if my center of interest is, well, in the center.  As long as the rest of the piece can carry it's weight and the eye moves well throughout the painting.  Although the center flower is the whitest, it will have the least amount of detail, and variety of color when the painting is complete.  I also have not finished adding the thin white/light layers, so it could very well be a place for the eye to rest.

I usually start out with an idea of where I want my center of interest, but I am very flexible and let the painting speak to me as it progresses.  I find I fight less with the finishing the piece and they tend to be some of my best works.  

I am big on composition, and flow as this is what draws a viewer and keeps them looking.  Those two will often cause me to put a painting away (sometimes for a year or more) until my mind figures out the solution.  There is rarely a painting I don't complete.  I just put the paint on a piece of palette paper and mark it or write in my journal the watercolors I am using so I can easily pick up where I left off.

I love painting white flowers.  These were deep in shadow and were very blue with the early light and the greens in the background.  I will be adding in all of the details last....probably my favorite part of painting!  All of the stamens and their cast shadows will be my puzzle challenge in this piece.  I am very much a realist when it comes to painting.  I will then turn it to the wall for a few days to a week.  This gives me time away from the piece so when I look at it, any problems usually pop right out.

The studio is still very much a work in progress as well.  The heated flooring is in, and the primer for all of the walls and hallways was completed today.  My solid door will be cut in half soon (barn door style) and another opening cut out in the upper half for my stained glass magnolia piece.  I will be adding moulding trim around the glass and also to make raised panels on the lower half.  I hope my vision for the door will pan out.  It will be based in french blue, the second coat will be white and then a stain will be added and wiped away to age it in the crevices.  Then it will be sanded and aged to expose the blue and natural wood underneath.  The hope is to get a French country look.  We shall see!

"Vision without action is a dream.  Action without vision is simply passing the time."  ~ Joel Barker