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| FLOWERING HEART. Original (SOLD). Prints available in my etsy shop. |
“As a child, what captivated me was reading the poems myself and realizing that there was a world without material substance which was nevertheless as alive as any other.” –Mary Oliver
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Painting this lion really reminded me to push through the “ugly” phases.
Every painting, for me, gets to a stage where I get frustrated with it or think it looks absolutely horrible. I used to get stuck there.
But when I realized that disappointment happens with every painting, it became less scary.
Now whenever I reach that ugly phase, I know it’s time to step back and start a new painting.
It also gives me the opportunity to cover up what I don’t like. If I think the entire painting is ugly, then I feel like there’s no reason not to cover it up.
Here are the crazy “ugly” phases that led me to uncovering this lion…
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| FLOWERING HEART. Original (SOLD). Prints available in my etsy shop. |
Going back to my favorite colors always helps me know what to do when I get back to an “ugly” painting.
For this lion, I went back to my favorite cobalt blue and green gold hues. I also added in some pyrrole red and neon pink along with my new favorite mixed media technique… sketching with pencil.
The only thing I was liking in that original painting was the girl’s wing. So I kept most of that and covered up the rest.
This led to some unexpected, beautiful mistakes like the orange around the lion’s eye and the cut out of the nose. And it all added to the lion’s story…
Giving up the thrown to become part of the world, knowing the forest and all of mankind has more to teach than gold and velvet combined.
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ps. All of my online classes are now available as self-paces, instant-access courses. And payment plans are always welcome.
pps. I am so excited to be teaching at the Lucky Star art retreat in Texas this October… they have a special going on until July 1: Refer a friend and you’ll both receive $25 off tuition (even if you’ve already registered) ♥
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Abstract and Figurative Painter
Juliette Crane creates luminous, dreamlike paintings shaped by memory, imagination and nature. She builds translucent layers of color until something familiar begins to emerge. Based in Wisconsin’s scenic Driftless Region, her work is represented by select galleries across the United States.
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3 comments
Melanie
Your lion is looking very sweet.
Have a nice weekend.
Liefs, Melanie
Mihaela
I love you creative process and all the changes happening before the final result. You are so brave for letting go on something that looks already good, for letting somthing great emerge. You inspire me and hope I'll manage to do the same with my creations. Thank you for sharing!
Donna Lange
I see so much in this piece, this lion has a lot to say. I get two different stories just from the face, like there is a left side story and a right side story. Awesome!