Deadline Art
I’ve spent most of my working life meeting deadlines. That’s the life of the freelance graphic artist and there’s some sense of satisfaction in being able to come up with creative solutions to situations in short time. It’s good training. Creativity is a curious thing—it doesn’t come from thinking or trying but from the meeting of experience and inspiration. It’s hard to open to inspiration when a deadline looms.
In two weeks I’ll be in the Faculty Show at the Arsenal Center for the Arts and that’s not much time considering that a week ago I’d not begun. But I did have some inspiration. I want to continue to work on my word paintings but to increase the scale. So far everything has been small because I’ve worked so much as an illustrator. So I began with a canvas 32 inches square.
I wasn’t in the least concerned which is rather typical but perhaps I should have been. On a larger scale my skills are still a little shaky. I got muddled half way through the first painting and the more I worked the worse it became. I know this one. Sometimes we just have 
to let go.
So, on I went to the next piece, equally large. Big things take more time, of course, and I was a bit anxious about the deadline. With small scale work I know exactly how long I need because I’ve done so much of it and am confident of what will emerge. I was not confident with this. I saw I needed to experiment more.
This morning I went to the studio and sat for a half hour with a cup of tea scribbling a few notes in my journal, just as I do most mornings before beginning to clear the head and focus on what I want to do that day. Then I meditated for few minutes so I felt very peaceful. The day before had been quite stressful for all kinds of silly reasons and that is not a good place from which to make art. I then opened my sketchbook and suddenly knew just what to do. Abandon ship! A new idea came at once—something smaller and more manageable. Luckily I had the art boards on hand in just the size I needed. I’ll post these works in a few days when I’m done. They’re very, very simple and I love them. Each one is a painting of a small white cap sitting in a field of color—Mahatma Ghandi’s white cap. They’re like fake ads, as much of my word art is, in this case ads for hats that will raise your consciousness in one way or another. Ads for The Mahatma Ghandhi Hat Company. I will post photos in a few days when the paintings are done.
Meanwhile I see that letting go allows for letting in. Letting go is not giving up. It’s surrendering to the light of the day, whatever it is. That’s all. And what a sweet day it was today. I can’t wait to get back to the studio tomorrow.
February 11th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Oh, Cat! I can’t wait to see them. Abandoning ship is sometimes the best thing to do—then a new path becomes clear. We’re in the waiting for clarity stage……. I know that it WILL come, just not when.
xox
February 11th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Yeah, good to wait for that clarity!! Look forward to seeing what you’re doing too, Debra!
February 13th, 2009 at 10:38 am
I love it when we give up arguing with ourselves on every level and just let the answer happen for us, don’t you?
can’t wait to see your pieces!
and good for you for listening
February 15th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Hi Mary! Yeah, it’s good when I get out of my own way! Why don’t I do it more often??
February 15th, 2009 at 10:43 am
mdf, I’m not being funny or anything, but you might consider turning the easel so the canvas faces the light? It helps. I found that standing while painting meant I was painting….and not working on an illustration (key word: work).
I love your word paintings. They’ve got everything. Totally original. AND come complete with their own advertising slogans, years of color and design expertise experience, pearls of wisdom (for free) and where appropriate, instructions followed by cautions. Winner.
I’ve also turned a bit of a corner recently.. more of a wide curve than corner and I really won’t know much more about it until things start to happen. More on that later I guess.. Sorry to be vague. Meanwhile, Spring laughs in the face Feburary here at the country retreat with little snow drops and brave dafodills (sp?).
Kx
February 15th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
mdf—You’re quite right about the light! I’m doing the word pieces on the table and will make a point of standing on the opposite side this week!! Thanks for the heads up on them—I’m figuring out how to do the words on the computer and collage them on then paint over. Much faster and will look good, I think. Stay tuned! A wide curve is good. Let whatever needs to bubble up emerge. You have an incredible lightness and sense of fun. It will carry you, for sure. Onwards.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:33 am
can’t wait to see! so good to let go. I’m at that point with a piece of writing, just banging my head against the wall, deep breathing, and just letting the crap flow out. It’s what’s in the way so I guess I may as well let it out and maybe find the road through after…I hope.