Ideas in Progress

and embracing the unknown

Before I get into today’s notes, keep your eyes peeled for a new announcement coming to your inbox Sunday morning! Excited to share more soon! X

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There’s something I’ve often found uncomfortable about an unfinished piece of art (referring only to my own, of course. Insert ‘we’re all our own worst critic’ cliché.) I find it akin to an incomplete thought - a vision not yet realized. I want to jump in, defensively interjecting “oh I know what you’re thinking, this part looks crazy! Just you wait! It’s going somewhere! I promise!”

*Note that ‘somewhere’ is, more often than not, a mystery to me as well.

And yet, I also recognize only sharing the final destination might be quite dull, leaving out the bulk of the story and skipping the process - the mistakes, course corrections, micro-decisions and lessons along the way. Unspoken digressions that inevitably inform the final product.

The past several months I’ve been feeling this pull to experiment with different processes and mediums. I’m not sure whether to attribute this creative exploration to new life (who knew this third pregnancy would throw my body for the biggest loop?), winter’s natural tendency towards reflection and inwardness, or the chaos of learning a new schedule constantly interrupted by snow days (of course the answer is D all of the above.) All that to say, it’s been a season of finding a way to tolerate embrace the unknown. Cést la vie, after all!

I’ve started small, using materials on hand, simplifying my subjects into shapes and colors. As I inevitably used up those supplies, I ordered new ones, including colored pencils and oil paints. All that to say, I’ve been dabbling. Sorting through images and fleshing out ideas previously collecting proverbial dust in my notes app. Will these ideas come to fruition before baby comes? Time will tell. Attempting to embrace that uncertainty.

Vulnerably, below are some snapshots of these ideas in progress. And an interesting aside for any photography buffs - notice the comparison of DSLR vs. film photography.

Oil painting on panel + gouache study on paper [DSLR]

Before final touches, including my favorite (and preferred) kind of ‘sun spots.’ [FILM]

A study I spent far too long on, endlessly changing my mind on color placement. [DSLR]

Same study, before I eliminated the flag (creative license! I found it distracting) and changing more colors. [FILM]

A quick study of a beach trip with friends last summer. Drawn while sitting with my daughter at her art table. On printer paper. [DSLR]

[FILM]

The first oil painting I completed this year. Inspired by a photo I’ve long wanted to paint: Dave on the balcony of our apartment in Rome. Working title: ‘Aperitivo’, typically referring to snacks before a meal, though transparently I believe this was our dinner that evening. [DSLR]

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