3.24.2010

Messy

This morning, I woke up early and painted! It was a snow day--it snowed a ton last night and the town seemed shut down. I had planned to go to a volunteer training at Girls, Inc., but that was canceled. It's funny, though, by 2 pm the sun is out in Denver and the streets are all clear. The sidewalks are melting. I love that about Denver--the sun warms everything.

Here's a painting I started today. I don't know what it's really about, or where it's going, or if it's finished. I found some old sketch pads and mod podged the sketches to my canvas. The sketch I did felt very primitive, or something. Sparse. I'm having fun mixing colors and being very messy.
Here's how it started.
Here's where it went
And I'm getting into the swing of journaling. I just do a little everyday. I try to not really plan, just intuit, and go with it. This kind of process seems to feel so good right now. It feels so good to be so messy.
Here's one inspired by a Neko Case song:

I've been realizing what keeps me from doing art: All the "shoulds." I have always felt like there was some way one should paint, like there were rules and techniques and a secret code that I must "get" in order to create. Instead I've been giving myself permission to just "do." There's always a little resistance--"it's so ugly!" "it's so messy!" "uggh, what would someone think of this!" But I am ignorning those things because that's not that point. There's really no point and that's what I'm liking.

And here's the kind of morning it was. All the dogs followed me downstairs. I tried to take a picture of all of them snuggled in the room, but only Gus stayed for the picture.

Happy Wednesday!
xo

5 comments:

  1. Snow days are a wonderful excuse to do art! Love the process!

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  2. yes, snow days are the best! i technically didn't have to do anything anyway because i'm on spring break. i feel kind of spoiled!

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  3. amy, i love your painting...it's really neat to see it evolve. i also adore your art journal. i am really inspired after reading your post today. love you & miss you,
    jody

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  4. everything is wonderful here.
    right down to GUS.
    that is thEEE best name for a dog.
    he must be very happy.
    i grew up in snow country as well...now live in the desert.
    snow days are GREAT for heading to the studio or the basement or the kitchen table and just creating aren.t they?
    i LOVE your journal.
    i also LOVE that you are getting involved with GIRLS INC. i have NO idea what it is but i clicked on your link and im going back. it looks like something right up my alley.
    good work dear girl.
    your ART is AMAZING! do you know that?
    happy day.
    c

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  5. thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement, chrissy! girls, inc is really cool--i wonder if they have any programs where you live? are you in arizona? my husband and i have been dreaming of moving to tucson...we'll see where that dream goes!
    thanks again for your words :)
    amy

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