How many layers of paint does it take to build a Universe?
How many layers of paint does it take to build a Universe?
As an intuitive abstract painter, I relish the surprises that show up in layer after layer of paint.
I’ve been building a Universe in my painting studio this spring.
Hello my friends and readers! In this week’s post I’ll be talking about the layering process of painting that happens as an intuitive painter, finding the painting among the layers of paint.
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Love, Kris
As an intuitive painter, I’m learning to trust the adventure that each new work presents.
When I start a painting, I choose my colors first of all, as they are the most important part of this for me, and very likely the reason I ever wanted to paint to begin with. My painting journals are often where I feel most free, because there’s so much less pressure there, they are purely for playing and trying things out. In those journals, I find colors and imagery I love and want to try out on a canvas.
One thing to remember about doing this is that because each painting is unique, each has its own moment, present time creation, its own emotions and energy, if I try to copy one over again, it will not work.
If, on the other hand, I work from the colors, movement, shapes, or whatever about it inspired me, a new painting gets to travel its own road and become amazing. This recent paint journal piece is one I’m very inspired by, and I’ll definitely mix up this palette again for use in another work.
‘Universes’
I’m finding new permission to paint in the ways I want to paint, to create from a whole new set of imagery, with more depth in my canvases. So the new universes I’m painting are first and foremost, inside of me. There’s an opening up in the way I see myself as an artist, and what I’m creating. I’m please with how layered and nuanced my new paintings are becoming.
The ‘Universes’ series of paintings has grown to 5 so far, with more on the way. I think of ‘Universes’ as being about the spaces I’ve opened up over my life for myself to inhabit. There’s a permission, a conscious growth, and different choices made. As I look at this, I see the new spaces I’m standing at the threshold of, ready to enter. For me personally, this includes allowing myself to be more visible, exhibiting my work again, teaching in a new way, having more freedom to be myself and who I am right now.
The painting at the top of this post today is called ‘Portal’, and is from ‘Universes’. The images below are ‘Portal’ in progress.
I love painting with acrylic paint because it is so easy to paint over anything I want to change. The hardest part is getting over my critical mind about letting go of an old image in order to find a better one. Create and Destroy!
One thing that’s been helping me not get too bogged down in the process of making a painting is to photograph it as I go, in its various stages. I find that this simple thing helps me to let go of holding on to a painting in progress, and to not get too precious about it. As it progresses, I’m learning to trust my instincts, and to enjoy the adventure that is the process of painting.
Artwork in progress
Here’s a painting I’ve been working on for OVER a YEAR. Yes, sometimes it takes that long, and sometimes I give up on a piece and start over, but with this one I kept persisting. I’m really happy I did, it’s getting somewhere now that I want to go. The first image is of this piece today. It still needs more work, but I’m pretty happy with its progress.
Here’s the painting in its previous incarnations:
Today in the studio:
My art studio really needed an update and some TLC, and today was the day.
I was inspired to dig in by this week’s episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Art Juice, and it was especially well timed for me. Alice and Louise spent the whole episode talking about how their studios are organized, and how they’ve updated and evolved them over time. So encouraging and inspiring! Here’s the episode:
As I write these words, I’m nearly done with this studio update. It looks and feels a ton better to me in here, and I can’t wait to start some new paintings. It’s so funny how something that seemed daunting before is super easy with the right energy in play.
My office is next, and who knows where all of this updating will stop? It’s so fun to be able to see everything with fresh eyes, and have the energy to make the desired changes.
That’s all for this week, and thank you for reading! Please reach out if you have any questions about my paintings or readings.
Have a beautiful week!
Love, Kris