i'm all for efficiency in life, but i definitely am not an efficient artist.
i take all sorts of detours, because i never have a clear plan in mind.
sometimes things come naturally so the detour is very short (or none, if i'm super lucky).
but most times, especially when dealing with more abstract patterns,
as i've been drawn to do lately, it takes forever and ever.
(e.g, see the last image/animation here).
above is a 12"x12" diptych piece i'd sent off a couple weeks ago for this show
at London Miles Gallery, curated by Thinkspace Gallery.
even till the end, i wasn't sure what the position of each panel would be.
i ended up opting for the second image.
below are some other even further detours i'd taken.
it's my first time dealing with a diptych piece, which i chose to do,
because i'm not very comfortable with a square format.
these didn't really work out well for me, but i'd like to give it another try some time :
even with occasional frustration, i actually do enjoy detours.
i like not knowing exactly what my end product will look like.
for me, it's more about the journey of the piece rather than the end product
that i enjoy so much about painting, that i really try to ride the waves
as they come...
most of the time, i don't have the luxury of mulling over stages due to time constraints.
this year really turned out to be perfect for these long detours.
+ sorry about the belated opening of my shop! some prints are not quite ready yet
at my printer's... but hopefully it'll be running by early june!
and yes, there will be framed options. :)
i believe i know how you feel while you are in frustration, because most of time i am in there....that is what makes us grow... right? and they are pretty!!!
ReplyDeletewish we could go to London all together~~!!ah~~!!
haha i work the same way. i think it's better to paint without a clear image in mind because it makes it more fun to watch what you'll come up with! plus, all of those layers of paint = nifty textures :D
ReplyDeleteP.S. i love the red and turquoise together! <3 and the little specks of white make it magical :3
thanks for the kind words! :)
ReplyDeletemari - i wish we were going to london together too!! wouldn't that be fun.
uhhh frustration is good *some*times, but not most of the time...
because it always makes me get lost... not being able to clearly see where i want to go!
I must say I end up working like this too! But sometimes it's nicer to take detours since you can end up with something new and unexpected!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, lovely artwork as always!
It's a nice feeling starting a painting when you don't know how it is going to turn out. As you start making it, it takes on a life of itself and with all the detours you go through a personal journey with your art. I find it fascinating the detours you take. I watched an animated pic you posted a while ago over and over.
ReplyDeletei know what you mean by taking a detour.
ReplyDeleteit's irritating and it seems an inefficient way of working but i think it is a very big part of growing and maturing as an artist.
i have to say that i'm really have been enjoying the more expressiveness in your work recently.
i admire when an artist take a step outside of their comfy zone.
i'm looking forward to see how this all turns out:)
I get easily sidetracked as well... I suppose it's the creative mind, and in part, for me, it's the other job which takes up so much of my life. These paintings are beautiful!
ReplyDelete