Seeing it on the wall, the madness of painting

Lately working small, I miss large! 

I made a major move in my gallery at Crossroads a few weeks back. Aside from now sharing it with the Swimming-in-Paint team, I dusted off a few of my "Best Wall" billboards and rehung them in the gallery. I needed a visual reminder why I paint in the first place. Thinking big about making art is central to it and sharing that idea with the Swimming-in-Paint team seemed timely.

I'm not sure you really become consumed in painting until experiencing the challenge of a really large and very blank canvas you advanced to a successful sign off. Many team members have accomplished that goal albeit on a bit smaller scale. Koi in a pond will have limited growth and opportunity defined by their environmental space.  However humans, given the opportunity, have the capacity to expand and flourish beyond. Painting or making art is all too often tucked away, a singular endeavor, which is why I made the Koi comparison. Occasionally its important to have another perspective, have space, someone to challenge our ideas, keep fresh and not get mired down in artist quicksand. We are constantly going through learning curves to advance our art. Nice to occasionally do it with others going through the same process. I'm a firm believer we, as artists, need a reason to make art in the first place.... as a painter I need walls to paint for (real or imagined)......the reason for my Crossroads gallery below. The team also needs a reason beyond a classroom setting which in my mind is really a shared studio setting where we encourage each to the finish line. Swimming-in-Paint goes beyond that, it also explores what happens next...... seeing it on the wall.    

THE MADNESS OF PAINTING

SWIMMING-IN-PAINT'S

FEBRUARY "WOW" WINNER WALL
was claimed by
LEA EMORY'S BALLET PAINTINGS

 

"WOW" 
PAINTING SOLD OPENING NIGHT!

TOO TUTU 20x16 oil on linen by Lea Emory
Captured a new wall and started it's adventure in the immortal world of art.

THE NEW TEAM WALL!

A WALL FOR THE TEAM'S BEST PAINTINGS

LILIES IN RHYTHM 30x40 oil on linen by Dale Williams

A STUDY IN HARMONY 24x24 oil on linen by Susan Paavola

WORKING ON A "BEST WALL" PAINTING

Artist, Sevti Sowers adding finishing touches

 

ANOTHER "BEST WALL" PAINTING SOLD!

PRIDE 24x24 oil on linen by Elizabeth Titmus
Also found a new wall and is the "Pride" of a new caretaker.
 

Art has a life of its own.... our job as artists is to make it and its for others to protect it for future generations to admire. If we do our job well, good art work will always have a wall to hang on.

The March team has been busy so we have a whole new crop of "Best Wall" paintings to hang in our next post! 

Congratulations to the February team!!
WOW! WHAT A TEAM!!