During this time of year, one of the most beautiful places in Wisconsin is the Horicon Marsh area, where thousands of Canada geese and other birds stop during their migration. Inspired by all those geese (honk!honk!), it was pretty easy to be a little bit looser while painting this marsh scene.
I scratched into the paint to get some texture in the grasses and cattails, and I loved how it felt to just do it and not over-think the process. It also has me thinking I should look at the two paintings in the previous post, to see what I can do to loosen them up a bit more.
There are a few important things I'm learning from doing these landscapes. First, I can't rush the process. No matter how much I want to finish multiple paintings in a day or two, I've realized that I need to step away for a while. It really helps me to come back to a painting later to look at it with fresh eyes before I can finish it.
Second, doing these landscapes is forcing me to focus on details in a different way than doing portraits has done. Because of all the portraits I've done recently, I notice people's eyes more now, for example. Have you ever noticed that most people have one eye that is smaller and slightly less round than the other eye? I've also noticed that it is more often the left eye that is smaller. Really. Try it for yourself. I find this fascinating, and I'd never have noticed if I hadn't started painting portraits. I love that!
With these landscapes, I need to focus on distance and perspective. It has made me think how these are important in life, too. How sometimes distancing yourself from a situation can give you a different perspective. Yes, I do a lot of thinking about such things while I'm happily painting away.
So, next I have another marsh painting that I've started. I want to go back and see how I can improved the first two landscapes, and then I already have some ideas for a few more landscapes. And then, and only then, will I do some more faces - or flowers - or maybe some abstracts - or something involving textile or sculpture.
Sometimes it feels like I'll never have enough time to do everything I want to do, see everything I want to see, and read everything I want to read. Like thanking everyone for their sweet comments on my last post, for example. Big, big thanks to all who commented and e-mailed me recently. I'll be getting back to you as soon as I can.
"Time brings all things to pass."
