16x20 acrylic on canvas
8x10 oil on canvas
Renovations, family responsibilities (sandwich generation), and yard work have kept me away from the studio. I don't know what happens when I am away, but when I come back, I feel that I have lost my way. I question my goals and where I want to be artistically. I used to paint realistically, doing commission work. Like many other artists out there in the blogosphere, I am now trying to learn to paint more "painterly" with looser more expressive brush strokes and a more spontaneous look. Sometimes though, I miss painting those wonderful details. I used to have confidence when I approached a painting. Now everything is a learning experience and struggle.
How many of you out there struggle with the transition from realism to impressionism? Or do you find it difficult to "loosen" up in your work. Why is this so difficult to do?
I did this painting of a Maine Coon cat on a marble fireplace about 5 years ago. Below it is a scene from Dundas that I did today. The lilac bush and mauve colored car caught my eye as the evening sun created long shadows. The house had some great green shutters and door.
