Nude in Magical Landscape
There’s an interesting story behind this nude painting; at least I think so. I had used up all of my blank canvases and was awaiting a shipment of new ones. I started rummaging through my paintings and came across the 30” x 40” painting that I had started years ago (I can’t remember how many years, but quite a few). I had started it and worked on it for awhile, but I didn’t like it and felt stuck. I couldn’t figure out how to fix it. I decided to put it aside, and I then forgot about it entirely. I put the canvas up on my easel and dusted it off with a damp cloth. It was a little more than an underpainting; the nude was somewhat developed, except the face was a disaster. I stared at and studied the painting over a period of two to three days. I was trying to decide, should I just whitewash it and start with a blank canvas, or should I start painting again from where I left off. I decided on the latter. In a way, I chose the harder path. Why? Because, in a way, I felt that I had ‘failed’ with this painting, and I was afraid I’d do the same again-fail. This was a really challenging painting for me. I was trying to decide, what part do I keep. What part should I eliminate? What part needed fixing….all of it. Was there any part I could more or less leave? The net result was that I reworked/developed about 95%. I went back over the nude and thickened up the paint as what was there was too thin. Actually, most areas needed to be worked over. Very little was left as it was. In the end, I felt satisfied with the result. I felt I brought this painting back from the ‘trash barrel’.
Attached are two pictures of the painting. One is after I just started reworking this old painting, and the second picture is the finished painting.
Final thoughts:
I don’t know how all of you fellow artists out there feel, but I feel that creating can at times-not always-be a lonely journey. I would sometimes wish I had someone ‘keeping me company’ and offering feedback, etc. I know at other times, I feel in a somewhat altered state, or sometimes, ‘in the zone’. Personally, I oftentimes ask for guidance from Spirit and other masters and elders on the other side. And, I feel that I do receive guidance.
I have heard that people who climb mountains, climb them ‘because they are there’. I’ve heard people create, because they must. Well, I think you know what I’m talking about. I have a few reasons. I have not been the most productive artist around, far from it. I spent my career teaching art and trying to help young people realize their potential, and I spent a lot of time learning and dancing tango (which I still do and love). I confess to putting creating art on the back burner. Now, I want to create a body of work. My hope always is that if I can bring a little beauty into this world, if I can utilize to the fullest whatever talent given me, then I will have done what I was supposed to do.
I’m currently on a six week break from my painting. It’s funny but during this time, I am absorbing what I see, feel, and experience, be it a walk outside, to visiting friends, to seeing other artwork, to whatever.
I have one more painting that I will put up during this month.
Russ Eng
StudioEng.com