Embracing uncertainty.

Hello and welcome to my Monday Blog.

Last week I wrote about making aquaintances and mentioned an

artist named Nicholas Wilton in California whose Sunday Blog I now follow.

Nicholas mentions taking risks and embracing uncertainty when making

our art.  He believes it is an essential experience in a painting journey

to take chances rather than the easier safe route watching others.

This prompted me to experiment with an unfamiliar painting process.

I paint with oils and love the medium.  It gives me everything I want in my work.

So why would I bother trying something new?

The answer I will give is...nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Armed with enthusiasm and a new box of oil pastels I began working

on Wednesday evening.  My trial piece was to be an abstracted landscape.

After several attempts I had a pile of oily rags, messy hands and broken

pastels.  It was not looking good and well after midnight.

Eventually I had an image to show for my efforts and I will share it with you now.

'Night Heat'   Oil pastels on canvas board 10 x 12 inches

Conclusions...

I have to be honest, I did not like this experience.

This will be my first and last time.

  You might be thinking I am too hasty and I should give myself time to improve.

That could be true and if I was excited by the mark-making I would continue.

I shared my photograph with others asking for their thoughts.

Some liked the colours but others felt the work didn't look like mine and I agree.

It lacks my painterly handwriting.

My oil paintings are mostly energetic and textured.

This pastel painting lacks the vitality I can usually feel as a work comes to life.

Return to old pastures...

A friend said  "...sometimes you need to go somewhere you don't like

to realise your own place is right for you".

Wet Marsh   Oils on stretched canvas  8 x 8 inches

My way of working...

A welcome return to the sculptural qualities of oils.

East Coast Mud Flats  Oils on canvas board 6 x 6 inches

I experienced the unfamiliar and embraced change.

Now it is back to my brushes and knife.  

All for now...until next Monday

Thank you for visiting.