Palms that Never Were – Painting of the Week

Unfinished Paintings

There is a real good reason for artists to have closets. Seeing so many projects unfinished growing up, I developed a huge fear of not finishing my paintings, so, one of my goals was to finish them before moving on. Some, I blatantly ruined just to be done with them. Today my closet is filled with over 100 unfinished works. Some are kept for the paper value, while others might be figured out later.  Some get destroyed by me just because I don’t ever want anyone to see them. We get attached to our ideas after working on them for hours. Failing then saving then failing again can be an emotional rollercoaster. Attachment is not always the problem, the process of “building up so you can get there” can look so different from your goal, you lose sight of it. These Palms that Never Were should have been put in the closet, but because my stretched canvas cost almost $400.00 I painted over it.  It now forever lies beneath a large painting adding texture.

What went through my head? First this piece was so big, it was constraining me in my studio. Then, ‘it wasn’t how I envisioned it, the subject was too new for me to simplify on a large scale, and finally the palms looked more like they were on a lake shore versus a desert stream.’ Seeing it now, sadly, 10 brushstrokes would have made it work. Deadlines are always looming and passing. It’s better to slow down, rushing the finish rarely is the answer. Just put it in a closet…if you have one big enough. I should print this painting like a poster with the words “It doesn’t have to be done today!”

Sincerely,

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Mark your Calendars for TAG (The Art of Giving) September 19th –5:30-9:00pm

It’s a fundraising sale of curated fine art in Grand Forks that goes to a charity each year. There are two fun buses to ride to Grand Forks if you don’t want to drive there and back.

Click Here for more information.

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View my calendar for upcoming and current events!

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