From 'Not Picked' to 'Pick of the Show'

By far the most popular painting at this years Summer events has been Colour of the Month pictured below, which started it’s life as one of a commissioned ‘set’ of paintings.

My painting practice involves working on several paintings at a time and where relevant several collections at a time. 

This practice prevents me from getting too precious about any one painting – if I’m feeling precious I start to lose courage and get tight; something I definitely don’t want to happen while I’m trying to create a successful commission!

So when working a commission I create a set – it might be two or three or five but there’s always a choice for the Customer. 

And for those paintings that don’t make the pick, well you can read on to see what happens to them…

Colour of the Month started its life as the 'not picked' painting from a commission set - it had been created in a landscape format, as requested but I knew I'd be rotating it (90 degrees counter clockwise) as soon as I began working back into it.

When I work back into a painting, I take whatever paint I've got left out and set to 'lashing' it onto the canvas in abandon - the aim is to obliterate which might sound dramatic but it has become very important that all trace of the commission and its meaning are covered.

I do like this early stage as everything's possible and while I was happy enough with this stage, I do recall being irked by the 'sameness' of the floral shapes...something I've been generally battling with this year.

It was many hours and layers of paint later before Colour of the Month emerged...every painting is a lesson in perseverence!

Until next time...