Painting; reflections on the process

 WIP day 1

Thoughts about painting tugged me awake at 5:35 this morning; I knew I needed to get some words out here before I explode, markers along this labyrinth I'm walking. The thoughts aren't just targeted at this painting, a sawed off door I've propped on my easel, but extend out to my journal pages and all my smaller paintings as well. 

WIP day 2

I'm interested to recognize that I've gone for months without writing here, most months actually, only occasionally stepped out when I've had an announcement to share. 

But this...these questions-with-no-answers, they are burning in me now  as I stand in my studio painting and still hours later when I'm lying in bed when I should be sleeping. I'm grappling to express the core of it here but swim circles around it.

I'm divided.

Half of me wants unrefined, raw, abstract. The other half wants a hint of something representational to cling to. I tell myself it's "refining", but is the painting better for it?

 

There is a part of me that longs to linger in rough and unhewn

And another part of me that needs to wipe out much of what I see, yearning for that simple kernel of truth

(I know one can one get that in a painting, I've seen it and felt it)

So this is the path I travel these days, paint brush in hand, my head overflows with questions while my curious spirit propells me forward...  my heart longs for answers but all I can do is paint.

Comments

[Sharon Tomlinson]

Oh WOW we could sure have a conversation about this. Abstract is so....well abstract to me. I like it a lot but don't necessarily understand it. My question is, should I understand it or is it just meant to please me. Or maybe I can see the "simple kernel of truth and feel it but others can't. My head is always overflowing when I have a brush in my hand. I think if I see some of your "refining" I do see a kernel of truth. My truth.

ps: love to see you blogging!! keep sharing we all love you and have missed you here.

[wanda marie]

how perfectly said Katie! I do believe i have felt this way every single time doing an abstract. and often times the abstract isn't really an abstract, often times, i don't know what one would call it, but stopping till we are satisfied, grr, is a finished AB STRACTY? ;)

[bev langby]

dear Katie
Im there in that place and i feel im on the verge of something important to me , ive painted pretty its ingrained in me but im breaking free it niggled at me in your class and with your book but i lost it and ive taken Mysteles Gut Art class and found it again and i love it, its what i want to paint and see and do but im struggling , it does not come naturally i have to force it , i want it to just flow out of me like my mind wants it to ... it will happen because i want it so much
so yes i totally understand ...
hugz bev

[Ophelia Staton]

Your work is just so amazing all I can do is say wow!! I just adore it!!