Déja Vu

Déja Vu

I was trolling through jpegs and came across the middle image as a work in progress. I had a sudden twinge of regret that I continued working on it, even though I like where it wound up. It didn't last long at this stage. I snapped this iphone pic, went inside and within an hour had such a strong urge to "fix" the painting that I couldn't even leave it that way overnight. I'm kind of wishing I had left alone, or I rather I should say, I'm intrigued with the seemingly empty gray-blue space. I'm now questioning why I don't let large expanses of empty space simply be, and wondering if it this is similar to having a hoarding mentality, except that I hoard color and brushstrokes that form things.

And THIS would be why having a separate studio is not for me...

Sleight of Hand, (in progress, again)

I knew I'd perseverate about this painting unless I got back in the studio, so after watching  a movie last night I went in the studio way past my normal bedtime and worked until I got here. I would say, again, but of course, there is no again in painting, not really.

I think it's safe to say that the act of getting back something, recovering something has become not only the meaning of this painting, but it IS this painting.* My only regret now is that I didn't work on linen or on canvas with heavy weight stretcher bars. It's odd, because I was so enamored with the 3rd image for the longest time. I mean, I really believed it was done. No question.

I still have work to do. The fist looks a little too much like a lightbulb, and I've decided the monogram on the cuff should be in cursive with the "H" in the middle.

*hairball  footnote: Why, yes, I did notice that I could have revisited the 90's by spelling re-cover with a hyphen.

I'm off to jury the final round of the NWS this morning.