TOO MUCH IS TOO MUCH
I have a lot of new work going on in the studio right now. Perhaps too much. Read all about my current dilemma below. © 2021 David Limrite
“There are images which suddenly get hold of me and I really want to do them. But the excitement and the possibilities are in the working and obviously can only come in the working.”
Francis Bacon, Artist
Too Much Is Too Much
Here is the predicament I find myself in, right now in my studio.
I came up with an idea for a series. I loved the concept so I started working on sketches for about 12 or so paintings. I don’t normally do sketches, but for some reason, this time, I wanted to get all of my ideas out of my head and on paper. I guess to see if they would all hold together as a series.
After I completed about 7 or 8 sketches, I felt as if I was using the sketchbook as an excuse for not actually getting into the studio to begin working on the actual paintings. So, I decided to abandon the sketchbook for now. I started getting into the studio nearly every day to work.
I began working on the first painting and then got excited to get another one going. Part way into that second painting, I got excited to get a third one going. The problem with this is that I kept starting new paintings and now have 9 paintings in various stages of a “beginning”.
And, as a result, I am completely overwhelmed.
This has never happened to me before. My sweet spot is to usually have a maximum of 3 pieces going at once, and I can then bounce comfortably back and forth between them.
But, now I have 9 paintings in progress and it is too much. I find myself trying to work a little bit on all of them at once, in one painting session. I have become scattered. I do not want the quality of the work to suffer because of my miscalculation and my scattered attempts to work on all of them at once.
So, you might think that a rational solution would be to put 6 of these paintings away, and only work on 3 of them at a time. When I finish one, then, and only then, would I pull out the next one and continue working.
But no!
My crazy solution is to go ahead and get all 12 of the paintings started and then work on one at a time. That means that I have 3 more paintings to get underway.
I decided to turn my overwhelm into a positive and an experiment.
I want to see how effective it will be for me to get all of the paintings going and then have them all sitting around the studio for me to contemplate and assess while I am working on and finishing one painting at a time.
I am hoping there will be a consistency to this body of work that I don’t think I have ever been able to achieve with past series. In visual dynamics, style and quality.
Like I said, this is an experiment, and one that I am happy and willing to conduct.
However, I don’t recommend trying this at home. {Smile}
I will keep you posted. Stay tuned.
Best,
David
From the Create Anyway Collective:
I don't know how you created such a successful program that met everyone's needs! You are a PERFECT TEAM! I intend to replay every episode as you covered so many ideas and information. It was interesting how many things were presented that hit a chord for me. I feel like I have more tools now to help me with my ongoing journey. Most of all, you each have a kind and sensitive way of communicating and reaching us all!
~ Kathy Spencer-Canepa, California