Alaskan Artist - Elise Tomlinson
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05/30/2004: "Missing out?"


The weather this weekend has been terrific, yet again. I got invited to go on a camping trip Saturday night and then to a beach bonfire tonight, and both times I elected to stay home and paint. I feel lame saying "no" everytime anyone asks me to do anything, but I can't seem to help myself. I worked on two more paintings this weekend, Grounded, and also the Skunk Cabbage one. I also updated the images in my works in progress gallery.

I think the painting went well this weekend, but I didn't get any of the things done that I had on my list, to get ready for the conference I'm going to, and also to clean and beautify my house for my family's visit (June 11-19) and I didn't do anything social either; and now I'm sitting here feeling silly, like I have all of these opportunities to have a life and all I want to do is stay home alone and watch movies and paint. I was looking at the paintings and seeing them all together, I just felt oddly deflated. Like, I'm giving up everything for this? It's not even "important" work. I don't have any grand message to convey, I'm just obsessed with colors and composition. In the end, is that all I'll be left with?


Replies: 6 Comments

on Monday, May 31st, stacy@gcsak.com">Stacy said

Your wip gallery is looking fabulous. This is how I would order them. 1,2,3,10,11,6 (not in strict order), then 4,8,9,7,5. It looks like the ones later in the order are the ones you're still working on.

I wish I was like you more often and turned down opportunities to go out. It is so hard to keep me indoors working on nice days, and distracts me from working on projects that I love working on... :angry:

on Monday, May 31st, John said

Why not take your work with you when you go out? Some situations that might not be appropriate, but why not paint while camping?

on Monday, May 31st, support@elisetomlinson.com">Elise said

Thanks for the advice on the order. Do you mean that is your new order of how successful they are from most to least?

And I'm still working on all of them, although some are further along than others. I still can't decide if I'll display 10 and 11 in this show or not, as they don't really go with the others. Any thoughts?

Also, I wrote to Heidi and she said I should give the drawing I'm donating to you...so, I guess I can just leave it in my office at the library and you could pick it up when ever you like before Friday.

I'd bring it to you but I'm leaving for a conference and won't be around.

And John, I can't really bring work with me on a camping trip. I mean, we have gear and we hike and my stuff is kind of big and oil stays wet and so bugs and fuzzys get stuck in it if you try to work outdoors. But it's a nice idea...I'm always impressed with people who can work outdoors.

Oh, and which ones look the most like I'm still working on them?

on Monday, May 31st, John said

Sorry, I forgot that people actually hike when they go camping, my last camping trip (4 years ago) involved driving to the campsite.

on Monday, May 31st, stacy@gcsak.com">Stacy said

On the ones that still looked like you were working on... You mentioned working on Grounded and the Skunk Cabbage piece which are 5 and 9.

I think that no. 5 looked the most unfinished.

I think you could include 10 and 11. You mentioned your interest in color and composition, and I think those would work. It would not be quite the cohesive exhibit, but depending on the size of the place and the size of your pieces, you may think about not using those?

And yes, I can pick it up before Friday. Do you want me to just stop in anytime, or let you know in advance?

on Monday, May 31st, Elise said

Hi again, you can come in anytime and just take it. Do you remember where my office is from LS110? I'll leave it in there, somewhere obvious with a note on it that says Stacy and I'll tell someone you'll be in to get it. I'll leave it tomorrow hopefully, as I'm leaving town the next morning. She also said to leave a starting bid price, but really, I've never tried to sell a drawing before so I don't have a clue how to price it. just try to get whatever you can from it and no worries.

I think # 5 looks unfinished because I haven't outlined a lot of it yet, that's kind of my style, and gives things a cohesive look, so you're right it's not finish. And grounded needs some brightening up of th figure but I have to wait for her to dry.

As for including the two that don't really fit, I guess I could put them off by them selves, against the wall with the windows. I'll take them to the gallery when I hang and see how they look when I start to put them up on the wall.

The lighting there isn't the best either, my colors need *a lot* of light, but I'll just deal with that when the time comes, maybe bring some extra lights of my own, they won't be tract lighting but I'd rather have enough light than not enough.