Lambs in the Sunshine
I received the best compliment for an artist this morning. A friend was visiting the farm to do a photoshoot with our new lambs, and had not seen my studio before. After we watched the frolicking of the new babies, we took a peek at my messy, messy studio and I showed her some of the work I did in the Skip Lawrence workshop in Santa Barbara.
Two of the images she viewed are related. The first, “Last Day”, was an experiment in using a more structured, balanced, sharp edged shape composition. When I finished this painting, I felt as if the entire time I worked on it, I was wearing a girdle.
“Last Day” Acrylic and Collage on paper 22×30″ ©Ruth Armitage
I still liked the idea of the round shape, the balanced composition, and the movement of color from top to bottom, left to right. So I tried a second painting with more of my normal looseness, a more subdued palette, and similar shape elements and division of space. Here is the resulting painting:
Last Day II, Acrylic on Paper, 22×30 ©Ruth Armitage
The Compliment
The best compliment, one I will treasure, is that the second painting looks exactly like my work, while the first painting looks like someone else did it. It is always such a welcome compliment to hear that your work has a recognizable style. I’ve written about this before, but it is always so gratifying, so I thought I would mention it again! Here is my original post about 7 Compliments Guaranteed to Make Any Artist Swoon… one that continues to draw readers every day.
Artists, what is the best compliment you’ve ever received? Viewers, what similarities do you see in these two works? Which do you prefer? I love getting your comments.
Truly and recognizably you !!!
Thank you Mickey!
Your friend hit the nail on the head. The Last Day may be my favorite painting out of all your work.
Once in awhile I paint something that’s a bit off the wall, different than the main body of work, yet something in it is a hint at a new idea, a new interest, like a sign that tells me to explore another way, like the defined circle in your two works. Our personalities are complex so why wouldn’t something totally different show up in our work now and then? There’s good ideas in that first experiment.
I agree about the girdle feeling, lol. Last Day II is my favorite, I would know it was your painting hanging across a room. I like how your circle is interrupted by shapes and lines.
Thanks Jodi!
Last Day II is my favorite of your works so far, Ruth. The earlier experiment wasn’t strong, was very different for you, but if you hadn’t painted it perhaps you would never have gotten to the second rendition. Isn’t that how it goes? Every once in a while something off the wall comes out of our brush leaving us wondering why, but then something in the work resonates, sparks an idea for something different, and there we go down another path toward ever better, more authentic work. Nothing is wasted… no sketch, no unsatisfying painting, no time spent agonizing over the next days work , none of it is truly wasted. It’s all part of the process that builds from first efforts to mastering your medium.
Thank you Jo – I agree, the first direction was necessary to get to the second, more authentic expression 🙂