08/01/2007: "IT CAN'T BE AUGUST ALREADY!"

OK, I got an email from the gallery that they need some high res images of the pieces for next months show for their promotional stuff...and I don't have any ready yet.

Panic is setting in BIG TIME!

I finally figured out why the paintings were taking so long to dry, it's been very cold and damp here and finally (DUH!) I closed the windows in my studio and turned on a heat lamp to get things toasty so this is a very positive development.

Several pieces are *very* close to being finished and given another day or two I may have some images to get to him. I really don't want to cancel the show (I've NEVER had to do that before) but I've been going through a whole slew of emotional crap that has made it nearly impossible to make the advances I had expected to make by now. I did almost nothing during that long time off from work, nor did I do anything this past weekend while I had the house to myself.

Well, some times it just can't be forced.

Things on a personal level have gotten back on track as of tonight so I'm hoping my improved mental state will result in a flurry of creative energy and many finished paintings. I now have 12 or 13 in progress but will probably only end up showing 8 or so. The are also quite small.

I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to share any of these images with you all. I guess I've been wracked with insecurities lately. So, what else is new right?

Replies: 13 Comments

on Wednesday, August 1st, Rod said

You're welcome. Now finish the paintings, you lazybones. :P

on Wednesday, August 1st, Kasia said

Don't feel insecure. I support you with all of my heart!!! Just paint them. :)

on Thursday, August 2nd, dad said

:D just take the pictyres shouldn't make any dif if there not all dry. should it .?:rolleyes: unless the iminages change when theying I know colers can fad alittle good luck :cry:

on Thursday, August 2nd, dad said

:D just take the pictyres shouldn't make any dif if there not all dry. should it .?:rolleyes: unless the iminages change when theying I know colers can fad alittle good luck :cry:

on Thursday, August 2nd, dad said

sorry I need to proof read more I MEAN WHEN THEY ARE DRYING. :)

on Thursday, August 2nd, robroys@robroys.com">Rob Roys said

Speaking as a *sigh* former gallery owner I hate wet oil paintings. I hate cancellations at the last minute even more.

Turn up heat! Fire up the soft rock! Get smoooooooth...

on Thursday, August 2nd, berry connell said

You really are an artist, aren't you?
Stubborn lil minx!

Go buy some acrylics or wall paint (either is fine, fast drying and as long as you keep them out'a the environment, they're environmentally safe.
Paint five pictures the very day you read this.
It doesn't matter what you may critique yourself because you ARE talented and CAN do some great pics.
Next day, look at them, pick out the best, hold the reast, do more!

PAINT!
PAINT LIKE THE WIND!
(aren't you glad I didn't use the whole line from Three Amigos, which would have been, "Paint like the Wind, old woman!"

C'mon.
Just do it.

No, really.

DO IT!

:crazy:

(good luck on yer openning, gal!)

on Thursday, August 2nd, Elise said

Hey Rod, THANK YOU again, (no really) you're the best!

Hi Kasia! Thanks for the support, I need all of it that I can get.

And dad, the colors don't change while they're drying but the images themselves may still change because none of them are really 100% finished yet...silll doing the finishing touches.

sigh...

And Rob, I know I know! I hate wet oil too (I don't think any of mine were still wet at the show I had at your *sigh* former gallery?

Also, doesn't Annie Kaill's sell them right off the wall? Meaning...if someone buys a painting they can pick them up the next day or something like that?

So, they WILL be dry...one way or the other.

I'm breaking out the Liquin tonight (and the respirator) plus the heated studio seems to have helped a lot.

I think I'm going to be OK. I don't think I'll have *a lot* of paintings for the show, but I will have some that I actually really like.

And Berry, thanks for the encouragement. It's so much easier to start new pieces when you work with acrylic but I just can't seem to get the same colors and effects with acrylic that I can get with oil. I hate how oil takes so flippin long but until I learn how to use acrylic, I'm stuck!

on Friday, August 3rd, berryconnell said

NO PROBLEMO!
Go get some alkyd mix and mix into the oils.
Dries within minutes when used right, but, my own preference is two-fold...
Mix with turps gets a flat, sometimes easily broken line, but, excellent for the lines of a painting.
Alkyd mix, on the other hand, lets you keep a solid stroke of paint, although, the transparency issue arises with too deep a mix.
Y'ain't gotta lotta time, but, it may be worth it t'get some and try it.
Don't use it over any already started paintings...
you already knew that, but, what the heck.
I still tell folks t'drive careful when they leave the house.
Sometimes, though, I tell them that the chances of them getting in a wreck are extremely good, so it's best to just relax when it happens. Y'all do more damage to yerself when y'tense up.
And so, what did I do when the car hit me from behind? Tense up. My back STILL hurts.

Still, I paint!
HA! I may be poor, I may be lonely, I may have shades of blue and green on my arm, but, I PAINT ON!

GO GET IT DONE!
you CAN do it!

on Friday, August 3rd, berryconnell said

ps
learn by doing.
Just learn quicker!

on Friday, August 3rd, RR said

Hi Elise, I sympathise with the panic feeling. Still, I, and I'm sure everyone else would love to see the work in progress..........just one teeny one......just a taster........just Dont panic!!!! x

on Friday, August 3rd, Elise said

I know you're never supposed to go lean over fat but I've been using such thin layers of paint that using paint mixed with a drying agent over the top is probably OK. I've done it many times in the past for over 15 years now and never had problems with cracking or discoloration so I think I'm good. (I broke down and bought some Liquin yesterday).
:cry:
And Hi RR, I will post some photos soon (this weekend probably) but please oh please don't be too critical...I'm not feeling super confident about these new pieces yet.

on Saturday, August 4th, RR said

I love your work Elise, the only criticism you'll get from me is not putting your work up earlier for us to see ;) So pleased you've found your motivation again and look forward to seeing the new work.