September 19, 2007

Focusing...


I've been descending into the studio pretty regularly lately, and as the photo indicates there's a lot of searching going on. It's no big whoop to lay down a quick landscape but finding the heart of the quest is another matter. The purpose, the reason why, the magic.

So I'm looking, trying on for size, identifying gimmicks and painting out. This technique or that, more or less abstract... about the only constant is that they will be big and horizontal. Can't remember the sizes of these three, between 54" and 60" wide. The recently gessoed one on the table is 72". So far they are still all acrylic... once I get the 'do-overs' out of my system I'll try it in oil but for now there's too much exploring going on.

The print-outs in the foreground are from pics I've taken while riding shotgun on our trips around the Southeast. We are in the foothills of the Appalachians so horizons undulate and overlap. That will be a constant... along with roads or paths... or Interstates. It's fun to play around with realism but I don't want to get hooked again, I just want to tease with it... whatever that means...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen,

I haven't checked in with you in a while. Wow, you seem to be reinventing your life and art--you go girl!

I know exactly what you mean about the summer houseguests and making sure they are all well-satisfied. What helped me this year was my commitment to making a drawing a day, no matter what. It's been very hard at times, but I've stuck to it.

I love everything you paint, but most of all, your attitude about taking it as far as you can go. Stretching our creative muscles.

Lynne

Karen Jacobs said...

I've been following your drawing a day posts Lynne, and amazed at how similar our challenges are, both social and artistic. Your goal of one year of drawings is more discipline than I can commit too but I do set up short term challenges for myself... regular studio time rather than hap-hazard hours, etc. Whatever it takes, like you say, to stretch our creative muscles.