Creating A Series...

Creating a series in your art helps people...

identify, place, put a name to, remember,  recall, recollect,

know by sight your work.

Lately I've been questioning myself about the subject and color choices in my paintings.  Am I getting carried away with flowers, are my colors too bright, should I be more abstract, I miss adding lemons in my paintings...do I need to switch it up so viewers don't get bored or find my work too repetitive.

Luckily when I walked into class this week (same class as last week with Brenda York as the teacher) Brenda answered yet another of my burning questions in her talk to the class...was she reading my mind?  She talked to us about this very subject and how important it is to do a series, the strength in numbers a series will create leading to a  stronger portfolio of work.

Whether it be the same subject approached in a different way, a color palette that you use in all of your work that makes your art recognizable...find that thing you enjoy painting, then explore and investigate it thoroughly.  There are so many examples of artist that do that very thing...we know them...we recognize them.  

Here are a few I've chosen as an example.

Dan McCaw

Dan is a contemporary impressionist and I find his figurative work so appealing... you can see throughout all his work there is a common thread of 

color and brushwork.

Chris Gwaltney

I was introduced to Chris's work by one of my classmates recently.  I love his gestural figures, his colors, backgrounds and that he doesn't fill in all the details...he leaves that to us the viewers.  

Chris is very recognizable by his wonderful work.

Barbara Gilhooly

Barbara works with many mediums, among them wood and wire.  I love her bright and whimsical abstract paintings...her colors and how she sections things out into little boxes...I love that little box thing!

For me...

listening to Brenda in class once again turned the light bulb on over my head!  I realize I need to stop questioning my art...occasionally put the art blinders on and focus on my own canvas...explore and investigate my subjects and think about were I can take them next. Remember in grade school when you were told to keep your eyes on your own paper?  It still holds true in life and certainly in our art. 

Paint what you love, use the colors you love...build that series, that body of work that will let people know who you are and what your art is all about...

strength in numbers!

If you follow my blog or my Instagram page, you've seen my pieces posted before. I just needed to remind myself that I have been creating a body of work without even realizing it!  I think its time now to enjoy, quit fighting it and dive in deeper!

I'm hoping this is helpful to any artists who read this and have been struggling to find your visual voice.  If you didn't get a chance to read last weeks post about how to find your style, you might want to check that out too.

Taking Notes From Modern Day Masters

And...I have to say again...

Brenda's class has been such an eye/mind opener for me.  You might want to keep your eyes open for more information on her upcoming classes this year at 

Art On 30th in San Diego...

I think you'll be very happy you did.

Enjoy