Failed!

Photo by Gladys Jimenez, Tallahassee FL

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly". — Robert Kennedy


Hello Beautiful Art Friends,

I began a new painting based on the photograph above, which I took while in Tallahassee FL. I was so excited about capturing it's essence but I failed. You may not believe this but this is the first time I attempted to do a painting that I just couldn't get it to work. In the past I had talked to other artist who used to say their painting was not working and I couldn't understand what they meant but now I do.  Perhaps I was not challenging myself enough.

I worked on this painting for three days using oil on canvas and today I just wiped the entire canvas, smudging all the paint I had applied on it for the last three days. I was just not working. Too many trees and detailed branches, so much texture to capture and I just couldn't really see the entire image.  For some strange reason it didn't click for me. You see, usually I see an image and it's like jigsaw puzzle in my mind, I know which piece I'm going to paint first and then the next one, until it all falls into place, but I couldn't see the pieces on this photograph. One of my art teachers used to comment on how I see things because my paintings were always different than the rest of the class. But this is how I did and continue to see things.

I did learn during the process, and though I failed at my first attempt on an 18"x24" canvas, I am not giving up.  I am going to attempt doing it on an 8"x10" canvas tomorrow. You are probably thinking that it will be harder on a smaller canvas but I'm going to work with the shapes first, then the details, the  way I was taught in school where you cut in the dark, medium, and light shapes first.

So I'm off to the art supply store to get gesso so I can gesso the entire canvas I originally used for this painting and this way I can use it for another painting. Or may be even the same painting, after I do the smaller version.

And what if I can't make it work still? Well, at least I took a photograph that I absolutely love, that captured the essence of the place :)


With Love,
Glad

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Here We Go Again...

Greek Lady, my first painting in 1985

16"x20" oil on canvas panel

Dear Friends,

Here we are in the middle of August and I just couldn't stay away from signing up for an oil painting 2 class at the local community college. Class starts next week :)

I had wanted to take a break because I wanted to create my own art, and then I realized what I really wanted to do was take a break from figure painting.

Time to paint other things, like butterflies...yes, I started painting butterflies, and look forward to painting still life paintings, and landscapes, and even more abstracts!  The Butterfly Series will be posted on the website in September. At least the first three :) 

I was in Los Angeles last weekend and went to visit Barnsdale Art Gallery (The gallery I first exhibit my art for the first time in 1985).  I also went to the Rose Bowl Flea Market for the first time!!!  I wanted to see what type of art I could find there but sad to say I was not very impressed.  But sure had fun walking around the flea market and seeing all the wonderful treasures people were selling and seeing what people were buying.

I miss going to the art shows in Escondido on 2nd Saturday, but it's been a busy summer with the photography gig going until the end of November and now the new art class starting next week.

Have fun!

Love,
Glad

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Art Association Memberships

Art, Love, and Travel, color pencils on illustration board



Dear Friends,

Yesterday was a good day for me art wise. I received the following email:

"You have been accepted into the exclusive Laguna ART Group™ by the jury. We have had over 4000 artist submissions to date and have only chosen 10% of those to be represented by the Laguna Beach Art Community (a network of ver 80 galleries) as well as on our iPhone and Android APPs. This APP is downloaded by 1000's of Collectors, Interior Designs, gallery owners as well as visitors to Laguna Beach for the Map of "Everything Art in Laguna Beach."

I am grateful and happy to be part of such a staple in the art industry.  Looking forward to visiting all 80 galleries too :)

Tomorrow is the Boehm Gallery reception and open house at Palomar College.  It's wonderful to see all the art departments exhibiting art done by students. I have several pieces up in the my art room at the college, from charcoals to paintings.  As well as two pieces at the gallery.

There is also a small section where you can purchase great ceramics, glass, jewlery, and art, outside.  And of course, free food provided by the teachers.  Michael Steirnagle will be giving a painting demonstration so I will be there :)

Join me.

Love,
Glad

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Plein Air Painting

I'm the one on the left

Hello Friends

Today I joined the Escondido Art Association Plein Air Painting group at Felicita Park, in Escondido. I have painted landscapes before but this was my first plein air outing.

All I can say is that I was not prepared for plein air painting. I had to do my painting really fast because the light and shadows do change fast.  I had to hold the canvas on one hand, painting with the other while fighting off the bugs climbing on me and my art supplies, as well as the stuff that would fall on my painting and paint from the trees. It was not easy to reach my supplies and the sun was hot.

Next time I will take a TV tray table to put my art supplies on, a stool would be helpful to sit on (instead of a rock), and bug spray.  Hopefully area won't be too far from facilities. I guess I'm a city gal, although I love nature and taking long hikes and even camping, when it comes to painting, I prefer my studio.

Although it took me about 30 minutes to do this artwork, I was going for the impressionist style, I like my little painting under the circumstances it was painted on. My first oil landscape in years :)

I was surprised to see fake trees a long the park. The fake trees are used to cover up cell phone towers at the park. It's my understanding they are all over the place now. It was a beautiful day outdoors and so happy I got to experience plein air painting, as it was something I wanted to do for a long time.

With Love,
Glad

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Why Do I Bother to Create

Bottle, 12"x12" oil on canvas

Dear Friends,


A friend who is very analytical and not creative at all, once asked me what was the use of creating so much artwork, as I have been creating. I had to respond with my reasons for creating art.

I create because it feeds my soul...I am following my soul's desire and it's not something I can stop doing without feeling I'm starving my soul, and possibly depression of not being able to express myself (I have experienced a dark night of the soul after I took a period of two years of not creating)..., quite simply, it is my destiny.

An artist never paints for just money, that would be in insult to the creator that gave us this gift, and the artist that only creates for money even if their skills are perfect, the artwork lacks feeling and energy. I am not saying you should not commercialize your artwork, yes, we must sell our artwork as we artist also have bills to pay, food to buy and a mortgage to pay...but I am saying if it's just something you do for money, as any other career that you can do just for money, then you are missing out on living your call.  When you do what you love, it doesn't feel like work at all.

To an artist, painting or creating is as essential as food if not more. We are willing to sacrifice everything for our art, including financial gains, relationships (as our art takes most of our time), anything that will get in the way of us creating.  We are a strange breed, but I know of no other activity that makes me feel so grateful and thankful to be alive than when I am painting.  I enter the BLISS zone when I paint and am just so lucky to be able to do so on a regular basis.

With Love,
Gladys

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Painting Daily, Oh Yeah

e-Motion, 36" x 48" oil on canvas

Dear Friends,

It's hard to believe that in three weeks my Figure Painting class will be over.  I learned much from the critics, and a few more techniques that I can add to my paintings.

For the final painting I was assigned to paint in a style that is the opposite of my own.  To choose an artist and copy their work but replacing the main figure with my own self.  In my case, it would be to learn the style of Degas or Van Gogh. I chose Van Gogh and what a fun exploration it has been, to see how he created short colorful strokes to create movement and depth.

Currently at the Escondido Municipal Art Gallery you can see my painting "eMotion" on display until the first week of next December.  I was happy to receive wonderful feedback from people who stopped by to see it during my short visit at the reception.  It felt great to know that others were moved by it.

Back to the easel, much to work on for my final painting.

May you have a wonderful holiday season.

Much love,
Glad

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