I’ve been painting more. Painting is scary for me. Graphic arts are so much more safe and forgiving, and easy. After all I’ve been doing it for about 13 years and for the most part, it comes naturally.
I first discovered my love for drawing in the 5th grade. I always just assumed I wasn’t good at it before then, and had other interests, so I hadn’t even tried. To my surprise, I wasn’t too bad. But after those classes – for some reason or another – I abandoned drawing, only to take it up sporadically in the years following.
So fast forward to last year, and I’ve been having the most unshakeable urge to paint and draw. After my drawing challenge last fall, I rediscovered my passion for it and have been shaking the dust off my rusty skills to see where it goes.
There is a local painter here in Oklahoma City, whose work captured me immediately when I saw it on display in a local art gallery. I recently met with her, and she told me the 5 words that gave me the push I needed – “you need to work hard.”
Understanding that I have to be willing to fail and create bad art while I learn, I’ve been painting with abandon. So I got out my oils the other day while the husband took the boys to the zoo. I created a decent painting, but I could not get her second eye right. So right now the painting looks like this:
And of course my dear husband (ever the comic) had to completely deface it by cutting an eye patch for her out of paper. Haha, honey. 🙂
I’m not sure where my art will take me in 2012, and I think I will always have a love for the craft arts and DIY projects I’ve done through the years, but be prepared to see more art related posts, as I pursue this passion that I just can’t ignore.
I loved your paintings! This is inspiring! Continue work hard and you will be where you want!
working* 😉
Evie, you definitely have a gift, so keep persevering! I love the canary! Also, I think people are so difficult to capture and yet, your work shows real ability! Love you! Aunt Barb
Thank you Aunt Barb and Samandra for the encouraging words!
Your paintings are splendid! What a joy to see them. Happy 2012!
I’ve recently discovered your blog. Your artwork is beautiful! I also love the phrase “you need to work hard” thanks for sharing
I am so thrilled to hear that you will share more on painting. I love to paint and just got my brushes back out in the past few days as well. I have not found many blogs that deal with painting in an interesting way, on an amateur level the way there are so many blogs dedicated to design and craft. Loved your use of negative space in the first portrait. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
Evie I love these works! There is a sensitivity to the way you paint…it’s so lovely. You have inspired me as well to create with a more delicate hand and view with my own art.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!! I got out some art supplies recently too and I forgot how much I love drawing! I may need to get my paints out too 🙂
Wow thank you ladies, you are so kind.
Your paintings truly are wonderful. I love the eye-patch! I have one of those husbands, too.
You have a lot of talent. I come from a family of artists, and I love to draw and paint. But I didn’t have the patience to continue to keep “working hard”. I do make jewlery though and can get lost in that. Enjoy your gift.
you are a great team. I think that girl with the eye-patch is the coolest water colour I have ever seen.