I often the art us day after day, but then there are times we're away from the easel much longer than usual. A while ago, I was on a two week "break" from my art, yet there were a number of projects keeping me totally occupied. Finally, late on the last day, I wandered into my studio and started a pastel portrait.
Right from the start, it was labored with none of my personal flourish. I pecked away, one stroke at a time with little continuity or flow. Each stroke was pondered, then once laid, had me worried...tense. Sure, I was back at the easel after that two week intermission, but my art was stilted, lifeless and definitely not Harley Brown. I felt I was retraining my hand and eyes; my hand felt like a lifeless lump and my eyes started glazing over as if in a stupor. Even my emotions got prickly. Sure, it had happened before, but this time I thought I'd really lost it and fell into bed, mentally exhausted.
The next morning I woke up a bit fidgety and went straight to the studio. The art piece there on the easel, seeming to look even worse than when I left it. It was though a gremlin snuck in and threw on extra wonky strokes to rattle me more. This was grim: the jerky, murky manner from a confused and somewhat collapsed mind.
Then...
In a blink and almost uncontrollably, I let myself go-grabbing pastels and laying them down with utter urgency. My confidence swung back within seconds and my patented grin crept across my mug.
There was this major difference: As I did each stroke, I didn't look back at it, because I knew it was right, and was already on to the next dab. Insecurities disappeared as I continued to lay down new areas as well as arrogantly repairing the previous day's mishandlings. I felt like a Pamplona bull that couldn't be stopped. I was so geared, I had to periodically dash to another room for a few moments just to catch my breath in finding myself and assuming command.
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Denne historien er fra Master at Work-utgaven av International Artist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Fresh Eyes
Anna Rose Bain discusses the passions of being an artist and helping students transform their own work
The Next Level
Jacob Dhein uses a wet-into-wet technique to create painterly depictions of a variety of subjects
Wild Spirit
Alternating between broad glazes and fine details, Claire Milligan captures the intricacies of the animal kingdom
The Bridge Between
Watercolorist Thomas Wells Schaller delves into the nuances of observation and imagination
The Color Continuum
Catherine Hearding demonstrates how she utilizes color to enhance the mood of her landscapes
Points of Precision
A strong focal point and attention to detail make Nicola Jane's artwork jump off the page
BE YOURSELF
Harley Brown's fascinating things no one else will tell you
JEFFREY T. LARSON
Expertly Putting the Pieces Together
Hot-Blooded
Blending elements of realism and surrealism, figurative artist Anna Wypych’'s paintings are dominated by vivid reds
Adam Clague Incandescence
Adam Clague’s masterful understanding of contrast allows him to paint subjects that seem to glow from within