May works in progress

I have 3 new paintings in the works. I've been juggling a lot right now outside of the studio and I seem to be running out of time to finish these paintings. I've given myself the rule of having to finish my paintings in 3 weeks or 21 days. I thought for these 3 I would do the 3 weeks rule, but have found it difficult. I don't want to go back to the 21 days where i just tally the days that I spend with them. I want solid deadlines for my process. But since I can't be in the studio full time I'm considering changing it to 5 weeks. That way a good portion of the time can still be dedicated to thinking about, sitting with, and meditating on each painting to the full capacity. I want to be pushed with a time limit but I want to also lack the stress and anxiety that might otherwise force something to come out in a reckless manner. I'm okay with things looking as though they came out recklessly, but I want to feel harmony within myself when I make these paintings. And by that I don't mean to imply that my mood or persona, when painting, always has to be calm and peaceful. I just don't want to constantly be chasing the clock. We do that enough in our daily lives as it is.

So, with that said, my process must evolve and change with the times and demands of my current lifestyle. I'll keep you updated.

My Studio Mates New Painting

After working on her last painting for 9 months, Gina has now started a new paintings. The last one she did was the chemical elements of the moon. She paints the chemical elements that make up the celestial matters in the universe. (I know I messed that up.) She explains her work much better than I do. The jist is, she 's color coded every chemical element in the periodic table. Below is her new painting in progress.

Check out her blog too to see more great work: http://ginarubinetti.blogspot.com/

"The Energy We Create is Both Magical and Iridescent" 80"x42"

Details:

My Newest Painting

(I finished this a couple weeks ago and finally photographed it.)

Titled: She Cums Out of the Blue

42"x84.5"

Work in Progress

Because I only allow myself 21 days to start and finish a painting, I now have 6 more days to finish the two below. Today, working in the studio was extremely productive and exciting. I was able to just work on both paintings with out pausing or questioning. There was a wonderful, even flow of communication between me and the work. The first one is going to need a lot more attention before my six days are up. But the one underneath is pretty close. I hope you enjoy!

Blind Drawings: Something I'm thinking of doing again.

When I was working on my process for these paintings I did a bunch of really small ink drawings that reflected the first stage of my paintings. I did this as an exercise to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with these paintings. I needed to see a small version of what I was thinking of doing before setting out to do the full, life-size ones.

The excursive:

I would have a stack of small sheets of bristol board sitting on my lap, pen in hand, timer to my left. And in front of me would be an engaging enough movie. I would set the timer to about 10 minutes and while keeping my eyes on the movie I would draw these lines. I would later, in the studio, ad color. They turned out to be really beautiful. I did several bristol drawings and filled a sketchbook with them. Since then I haven't really done anymore of them and have simply focused all my energy on the paintings. I plan to change that. I'll be starting a new series of small blind drawings. I'll keep ya updated!

Current Paintings

Title: Zainy Brainy Beany Baby Shelf 42"x65"

Title: Near Death or Any Cockle Do 42"x63.5"

Title: The Diver 54"x42"

Title: Something About Sea Creatures 42"x87"

Little Fish Swallowed 42"x108"

Title: Fairies Don't Have Tails 84.5"x42"

Title: My Poison Lung 97"x42"

Artist Statement

I am interested in the impulsive response. I believe that when an action or response is done out of spontaneity and impulse it tends to be more honest, less censored and more pure, nothing is held back.

This is why the surface ground is so important in my paintings. With the energy that directly reflects my mood, I create the ground using continuous gestural lines that look like doodles and scribbles. On a large-scale sheet of watercolor paper I use different colors and mediums in order to build up a surface ground of several layers. In order to make these lines purely spontaneous and uncensored, I blindfold myself and allow a limited amount of time to make each layer (5-15 minutes). As a result, the lines that are produced become a visual map of my subconscious.

After creating this ground, I remove the blindfold and respond to the new surface as impulsively or instinctually as I can. Images appear and develop in the order that my subconscious responds to the lines and shapes on the paper. When an idea comes to me I do not allow myself time enough to question it. If I realize fast enough that the new idea or ‘response’ feels natural or even brings a smile to my face, I try it. This forces the painting to evolve and grow, because then I end up responding to that previous move or mark that was just made.

In my work there is a constant struggle to trust my instincts, impulses and initial desires. The images that appear in my paintings become a sort of metaphysical conversation. In the end, whatever exists on the paper is a manifestation of what is going on within my psyche.