DISCOVERY!

Lots of discoveries in the last few days. I am really rethinking my challenge for the month - I am struggling with it - and I thought it would be relatively easy to do. I did a practice painting last night trying to get into the style of Shirley Trevena. Lord, it was awful!! I must say, watercolor is the most frustrating medium!! I never get this feeling with other materials. That's because I can just cover over the mess and keep going until it works. On the other hand, when it works, nothing has the same sense of accomplishment. Like the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!" I think I discovered I can't think like anybody but me! You would suspect it wouldn't take this many years to figure that one out. So maybe trying to do something in someone else's style is not a good idea. But I think there is a kernel of something in the idea. I am going to try to pick one idea from an artist and try just incorporating one thing! I am also starting to see what most of my favorite artists have in common. That is probably the thing I should be focusing on first. For me, it is some form of simplification. I am going to go back to my sketchbook and work on simplifying my drawing.

Along those lines, I was in the bookstore today looking for colored ink. I decided that was the first thing I was going to take from Shirley Trevena - drawing the image with colored ink that will bleed when wet. Naturally, I drifted over to the art books. I discovered the most amazing young artist. I just thought his work was so exciting, original and it reminded me of a number of artists I love. I have captured a few images from his website http://www.justinbua.com/newSite for you to see. I see elements of Egon Scheile, Thomas Hart Benton, and David Levine to name a few! I love characatures because they are the essence of the person and then exaggerated. I am going to try and distill and exaggerate, probably in a more subtle way. If you have ever tried to create a characature you know it is much harder than getting an exact likeness. I have posted Justin's book in the reading suggestion list on the side. When you check out his website, look at the cool canvas shoes he has designed, also t-shirts. Quite a marketer. Good for him!

Speaking of great drawings, I have been receiving lots of great work from everybody this week. I am going to put it all in a slideshow to be posted Thursday night. If you want to get in on the fun, send me your efforts by Thursday afternoon.