From The Duck's Lunch to a New Artistic Idea: Following an Unexpected Spark
Well, here we are again. I have to admit that I thought by now I'd be telling you that The Duck's Lunch was photographed, varnished, signed and safely on its way to becoming available to buy.
It isn't.
It is, however, very definitely finished. So that's something.
I haven't signed it yet, and I haven't photographed it either. I want to photograph it before I varnish it, and I'm hoping to do that myself as I have some experience but I don't have acccess to an actual studio nor have I that much space to play with at home, so the size could be an issue for lighting correctly there. My current camera is not big and I haven't really assessed it's suitability for this job just yet either. Though, I have a new battery and I'd like to see if I can make work for me. Today is a little dull and grey, so I'm not sure whether the light will oblige, but I may have a go later. It would be a huge convenience if it worked out and would save a lot of extra running around.
There's something quite satisfying about wanting to do these things myself. I know there are people who photograph artwork professionally, and perhaps I'll go down that road at some point, but for now I'm curious to see what I can achieve with what I have.
And once it is photographed, I'll varnish it, sign it and get everything properly organised.
So what have I actually been doing instead?
A little more Christmas creativity
Well, I haven't exactly been sitting around twiddling my thumbs.
I've painted another Christmas card design.
This one will be available as a pack of four identical cards for €10. They're A5 cards on red card with a lovely kraft, tan-flecked envelope. I'm just finishing them off now and, all going well, they'll be ready in time for me to include a link when this blog post goes out. Here's a mock up..
It's funny how these little pieces of work can fit into the bigger picture of what I do. My Christmas illustrations are quite a different beast from the paintings I'm developing for my more serious art practice, but they are still very much part of my creative world.
And, as it turns out, one of them has led me somewhere completely unexpected.
When inspiration catches you sideways
I had one of those moments recently.
You know the ones.
You're not sitting down thinking, Right, I must now have an artistic breakthrough.
You're doing something completely ordinary like dashing around the kitchen with cat food bowls in your hand and then suddenly you see something differently.
I happened to glance sideways at the original artwork for one of my Christmas Fairy card designs which is still leaning against the mirror over the kitchen radiator.
And suddenly I imagined it as something beautiful out at night, surrounded by water. Something lovely, something soothing but best of all it answered a question I've been asking fir a few years now..
That's all I'm going to say for now.
I don't want to give the whole thing away before I've even had a chance to properly explore it, but it has given me an idea for a painting which ties in rather beautifully with something I've been developing in the background for quite a while.
I think I may have cracked something.
And that is rather exciting.
The trouble with having ideas
Of course, there is a slight problem.
I had already decided that I wanted to be consistent with the direction I'm taking with my serious work.
The Duck's Lunch has been a big step for me. It's a large, one-metre-square painting on deep professional canvas, made with professional-grade materials, and I've been thinking about creating another piece to sit alongside it.
I'd really like to explore that idea further.
Then there are two other delicious ideas which I've actually been carrying around as a pair for quite some time. They're completely unrelated to The Duck's Lunch. They're much more natural in subject matter and come from something I've noticed and been drawn to for years.
I can already see them working at the same scale too.
One metre square.
I rather like the thought of allowing size to become one of the threads connecting a group of works. They don't necessarily have to tell the same story or even look alike. They could simply occupy the same physical space and belong to the same chapter of my painting life.
And then along comes this new idea from the Christmas fairy image.
Typical.
Following the thread
This is the part I'm learning to trust.
I don't want to abandon the direction I've been working towards simply because something shiny comes along. At the same time, I don't want to become so rigid about having a plan that I can't follow an idea when one appears that feels genuinely worth pursuing.
Perhaps that's the real trick.
There is a difference between being distracted and being inspired.
I'm still figuring out which is which.
For now, I'm going to let The Duck's Lunch have its proper moment. I want to photograph it well, finish the protective treatment, sign it and get it ready for sale. I'm also looking forward to eventually offering archival-quality Giclée prints.
But I may also allow myself to explore this new idea a little.
Not necessarily to start another huge painting tomorrow. Goodness knows, I have a habit of indulging in the overwhelm of life. Such drama with much enthusiasm.
The tax returns are looming, there is a raft of other admin waiting for me, and I'm heading away for a much needed little break with my husband soon. I'd really like to leave everything reasonably organised before we go so we can relax in the knowlege all is well.
I'm discovering that taking my art practice more seriously doesn't magically remove the other parts of life.
Sadly, the tax returns do not paint themselves.
A little more room for the unexpected
Perhaps this is what I'm enjoying most about getting back into my art practice. I definitely feel more in the flow of things.
I'm beginning to make plans, but I'm also beginning to leave a little room around them.
There is The Duck's Lunch.
There are the two paintings I've been thinking about as a pair.
There are other ideas waiting patiently in the background.
And now there is this rather intriguing nocturnal idea which appeared when I wasn't even looking for it.
I think I'll follow that thread and see where it leads.
Meanwhile, I have a painting to photograph, varnish and sign.
And a tax return to avoid thinking about for another few minutes.
Thanks for tuning in again and following along with all these little twists and turns in my studio.
Until next time,
Amanda x
