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Monday, November 19, 2012

Charleston Rooftops finished


25" x 34"
     Here's the finished painting "Charleston rooftops".  I've been working on it obsessively for the past 2 months or so and I feel like whenever I do a large involved painting like this, I can no longer "see it". When I get to that point it's time to wrap it up, sign it, put it away. Sometimes I'll pull out a painting after a few months of not looking at it, and instantly see a change I need to make. I used to be very strict about not working on a painting after signing it (for me the signature was always like some door that was locked, and you could never go back to working on it again). Now I'm a bit more casual about it. I have a painting of mine hanging in our bathroom, that I stared at for about 3 years, until I was able to figure out it needed a few more brush strokes in certain areas. Paintings can never really be finished for me; there is always something that can be improved, moved, heightened or done better. At a certain point, the artist just has to leave it alone...nothing more can be gained from the experience. Of course there are always areas that need to be freshened up, a color that goes dead or a line or brushstroke that isn't animated, but this process can go on endlessly. It's always better to not overcook it...the painting will let you know if it needs more.

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