One of the time honored methods of learning to draw and paint has been the copying of the works of the old masters. Wanting to try something new last night, I went back to something old and did a short study of a painting at photographed at the Clark a few weeks ago.
Like all the other paintings in that exhibit, the example for my study was done by a woman in Paris between 1850 and 1903. I love the mother and child theme. Even more, I love knowing the person who painted this cut her creative teeth copying the classics and working in a supportive community of her peers.
I know I’ll be coming back to this work with better brushes and skills for the practice and the inspiration.
I was talking with another painter friend this morning about our creative routines. I said I tend to do my nonfiction writing or programming in the morning or daylight hours after work when my brain is an analytical mode. as much as I want to paint plein air outside, I always end up painting at night, starting when the kids go to bed and ending when I can’t hold my eyes open anymore.
He laughed and said, “I’m the same way. I find I write fiction best at night.”
We both marveled at how the different avenues of creativity seem to open up more fully at different times of day (or when your brain is at a different level of exhaustion and, possibly, open). It was pretty clear that you don’t have to exactly pick your creative battles exactly, but you may have to get just as creative with your scheduling.
So, I know it’s almost midnight and still over 70° in Vermont and the first week of September (when it’s supposed to be 70 during the day), but somebody at the country store said the magic words, “Pumpkin Spice,” and it was time to take a whack at painting some foliage.
In high school one of my best friends and I love planning parties. We both loved the details — decorating, planning the food and guests. We had similar tastes and strengths that complemented each other. More than once, as we figured out food or color schemes, we joked that someday we ought to open a boutique together so we could plan a daily party.
Last week, I realized part of that fantasy when I opened my own boutique in earnest on Etsy. A friend and mentor, best-selling author Jon Katz, wrote an incredibly nice post on his blog that turned my little kick-off event into a true grand opening.
I will admit, I was a little overwhelmed at the number of hits and orders that appeared in the first 24 hours. I always keep some stock handy for craft fairs or art shows, but it had been a while since I had flipped on the switch of my mom cave print shop, now turned boutique.
Suddenly, I was back in the one part high school I really liked, planning how to wrap up paintings, designing and printing labels, and having a virtual party and my 10 x 10 office/studio.
The Etsy store it is definitely about turning my stash of art into income, but I’m finding it’s also about making new personal connections. Over the last couple nights as I have stickered and packaged, having a little virtual party, I’ve been thinking about how the better old dreams do come true. It took a few decades, but I’ve got my boutique (I’m hoping my old pal would approve).
Now one dream is a step to the next of working artist — an old dream that got me through my more frequently humiliating school days. It’ll stay part time work for a while, but the it’s suddenly becoming a lot more real.
Under the heading of ‘Things I can’t control’ – putting down the brush at a decent hour. In all fairness, I don’t usually get to start painting until kids are in bed, but there’s no such thing as picking up a brush for a ‘quick touch-up.”
On his good days, Thing1 can still Demonstrate that he’s still stronger and faster than we are,and, after a transfusion or infusion, that he still has endurance for some of his favorite activities.
We do try to get him out to hit a few holes or drive a bit. They have minimal impact on his health one where the other, but they keep them connected to his old way of life and, or importantly, what he is determined will be his way of life in the future once again.
We’re always wary of denial on all our parts, but determination is not that. after all, whether it’s getting up a hill at the public golf course in the town nearby, getting over this next hurdle, determination is the only thing that will keep him putting 1 foot in front of the other.
