One of my favorite things to do is share with my friends, and be shared with. Creativity is a funny thing – it runs hot and cold! Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don’t. When your muse is misplaced, well it feels like they will never return, let alone be helpful. But they always return bringing a heap of inspiration. The thing is, how can we put the muse’s toes to the fire, and get them to inspire us?
Toes to the Fire…..
One of the ways that I get inspiration is to network, have a group of friends that also create, share, discuss, and demonstrate, etc., etc., etc! Last month I posted a picture of a paper painting I had done called, “My Lama Mama!” All five of us, that is, the five of us in my group of artist friends did a paper painting. I’m not sure I was that thrilled at first, but as usual inspiration found all of us! A couple of the ladies hadn’t finished theirs when I took pictures, but they are far enough completed for you to tell what they will be when they grow up.
We all had a great time!
Would we do it again? Maybe, but all of us agreed that as fun as it was, it wasn’t something we want to do all the time. I found with a paper painting, it’s never finished. It always needs a lighter strip, something to push or pull. I drove myself crazy until I finally had to just tell myself to let it go!
They definitely represent the playfulness inside all of us, and a good lesson to let our inner child out to have some fun!
As I’m loading the pictures up onto the blog, I realize there isn’t anything more I could do to get the beautiful birds nest rotated properly. I’ve tried twice, and it always goes right back to sideways. I apologize to Karin deBaay, the artist, and to all of you. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don’t……
My hope is that in some small way, these paper paintings have inspired you to do something different, or be inspired to go beyond this, stepping way outside the box! The idea for these paper paintings came from a recent Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. We have tried many of the projects in this magazine, and always have a fun time with their ideas.
Karen's Stone Soup... 
Timely advice, Karen. I walked into my shed where I paint and had the irresistible urge to get my brushes out and stay there! All this computer work has brought back my desire to make something with my hands. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful pictures!
Sometimes when I think a picture isn’t finished I turn it to the wall for a few weeks. It is surprising how often I decide it is finished when I look at it again! 😃
LikeLike
Great idea Maria. I’m going to try doing that. I have a studio filled with half finished paintings I’m waiting to hear from. Maybe if I put them in a time out, turn them around facing the wall they’d be more likely to speak!
LikeLike
Sometimes it is good to come back to a picture with a fresh eye. I get so involved with trying to finish a picture that I think I cannot see it eventually.
I also try to only paint for 30 minutes at a time to prevent fatigue. Then I take a short break from the picture.
Happy painting, Karen! 🙂
LikeLike