Start With Easy

My camera skills have been maxed out this week, trying to photograph the piece that we covered in resin, twice!  In truth the resin is easy to work with, but my textured paintings aren't!  Jean (my husband) and I did two coats on this trying to get a smooth finish over a few high peaks, we didn't quite succeed but it's not bad for a first try.  I realize I should have taken my brayer and flattened out a few higher ridges so that the resin would have covered better as it settled.  As for photographing it, well my little point and shoot and the massive windows in my loft made that impossible, most the time I either had windows reflecting in my painting or me!  Not a good thing, made me laugh though and I always appreciate a good laugh.  I did manage to paint a small 12x12" shown in the picture, and I finished out a larger commissioned piece which I will share once I've delivered it, I'm very happy with how it turned out.

My loft display wall is looking a little sparse, I've been preparing and packing up paintings for delivery next week for the upcoming Small Works Group Art Sale at Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery.  It's nice to see those sparse walls and know that my work is out there gaining some exposure.  My larger works are decorating Klub Soda in Fredericton, more exposure and hey one sold this week!  So grateful for the opportunities that have come my way and for each person who chooses to purchase some of my art.

Continuing to be inspired by reading Michell Cassou's, "Life, Paint & Passion."  She will say things like, "Why do we make our work so dramatically important?" Why indeed!  Then she will go on to explain that when we over identify with a particular piece we get into the way of the process and usually wind up frustrated and or derailed.

"To keep your process flowing, to feel the enjoyment of creation, you first need to go where it is easy. Easy means ripe. Go where you are attracted, whether it be towards a detail or a large shape. While you work on the part that is easy, other parts will mature in you and they will be ready and waiting..."

So keep it loose and easy!  We'll try Michell, we will try...

Honest Brushstrokes

In the preliminary stages of tumbling around ideas, gathering elements for use in a new piece and thinking about colour. Not hard to do, think about colour when outside my loft the sun is dancing across the golden rusts of fall.  

Been reading another of Michele Cassou's books in the evenings, "Life, Paint and Passion."  I think the thing I love about Cassous writing/philosophy is that it's all about the process rather than the resulting product.  How liberating is that, to be free of concern for how nicely a piece turns out!  There in lies the great mystery of creativity. As you delve into the process it becomes the conduit of all that raw emotion, often resulting in works that vibrate with life.  The more you paint the freer you become!

Makes me wonder about other areas of life. If I worry less about outcome and more about what the process  has to offer maybe there would be less anxiety, less need to control or predict outcomes, greater freedom just to enjoy the now moments and the people in them. I suspect it may already be at work without me fully realizing it.  All I know is, it smooths everything out as I begin to paint!

Been putting together a variety of pieces for the Small Works Group Exhibition & Art Sale, being hosted by the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery Nov 8th-Dec 20th.  I'm pleased to be a part of this exhibition, another first for me!

"Beauty is in the honest brushstroke that manifests without choice. It thrives on life. To create is to recognize that real beauty is found only in following your truth..." M. Cassou

New Things

It's been an interesting week. Shipped out some art this week, which always feels good, and got some orders for a few more commissioned pieces.

And I also made my first on line sale with my new website using PayPal. Thank you Joni for your patience!

For me these are mile stones, things I never would have dreamed I'd be doing three years ago and I'm stilled awed it all.

"The mind is full of expectations, beliefs and desires." M. Cassou

I can honestly say though, never in my wildest dreams did I dream this for myself. I think my Creator dreamt this one for me and I am abundantly thankful!  Speaking of which it was our Thanksgiving this past weekend and it was a beautiful one. Enjoyed my family a big turkey and new memories being made.

"When intuition stops moving, there is always a controlling thought behind it." M. Cassou

New Website Launched!

Well, it's been wild and wooly getting my new website up! Brenda Thebeau Abstracts is up and running, just click on the button on my toolbar to the left.

The course I've been taking with Leslie Saeta, has been very helpful, there's a lot to learn.  WebInArts is just what I needed to discover what some of my next steps should be.  Old hat to many of you, but what a learning curve for me!

Working on some smaller pieces this week which I really enjoyed, not sure that these will be the final embellishments that I'll use but I like how this little version of "Ignited" turned out.

Do you know if you had told me that my life would be altered so much when I began painting I never would have believed you!  The artistic process is an amazing thing that brings with it inner transformations that, well, you just might not come up with in your wildest dreams.  I know I sure didn't!

Here's a nugget from Life, Paint & Passion by M. Cassou

"To discover that you can paint without special talent is a great revelation. An endless stream runs through you, enough to paint for lifetimes.  Talent is universal. You can dip into that source to your heart's content.  Everyone is good at what comes to them spontaneously."