Brighter Days

Brighter Days

7x7"

acrylic on canvas

 I made this painting as a gift for a special person who just turned the big 4-0. Unfortunately the details and brushstrokes don't show well in this image. I also think the dark edges around the clouds are not that hard in reality. As usual it looks better in person with proper light on it.

I went to the studio yesterday and after two hours or so ended up with nothing. I stunk. Surprisingly, however, I left in a great mood! I had a wonderful visit with the artist (Degen Lindner) who I used to share studio space with and who I consider to be a mentor and the person who has most influenced the artist in me. Anyway, I went back to the studio this afternoon and everything went smoothly. Thank goodness because I wanted to give this gift today! I chose to work on a little canvas I had prepared sometime ago with a dark gray ground, but had never used. It almost felt symbolic beginning with something so dark and then brightening it with layers of colour... symbolic for me and for the person I painted it for who has worked hard to come through some dark days. I do wish the clouds showed better... in them I see Degen's influence. She has this technique of gathering paint on her brush which is not quite mixed thoroughly and then, after she lays it down on the canvas, you can see these striations of colour through the brushstroke. Beautiful. I ended up with a bit of that effect in the clouds and in the foreground, but unfortunately in my hurried photography it doesn't show clearly. 

So, here is to brighter days.... full of colour and rich with layers of experiences.