Wednesday, March 30, 2011

What I worked on today



I wrote yesterday about being in a rut. Well, today I "stretched" and worked on some larger canvasses I had that I felt weren't quite done - even though they'd been sitting there for months (1) and years (the other). The top piece of irises and chives, I just changed the background colour. The bottom piece I have painted 3 times now! The first time it had a deep blue background, the second time, gold with a darker bottom and now, this soft creamy yellow. Oh, for the love of Pete!^%%!@$! I just went back to link to these images and I'm thinking I should have just well enough alone! Hate it when that happens! Thoughts anyone?


13 comments:

Lori Bonanni said...

Both of these are very nice - painterly with soft colors! Great job. I do like the background on both!

Virginia Floyd said...

Kim, they have two totally different feelings to them. The gold background looks like a very traditional still life. It is beautiful.

The creamy yellow background looks very contemporary, and i think it brings out the composition of the flowers and vase much more than the first. I actually think the second version is more striking.

You did good!

Kristen Dukat Art said...

Hi Kim, since you asked for thoughts.....and this is just my opinion....you and I are on the save wavelength with the bottom one, it seems as if the background isn't quite right, and it's competing for attention with the flowers which you've done beautifully....I think part of it that bothers me is it's hard to tell where the light source is because even though it seems a bit lighter in the lower right, and the light on the fabric seems equal on the left and right...The painting reminds of an older still life that would be in a very ornate house with lots of dark furniture and richly painted wall, like a burgundy perhaps, and the background suggests something more light and airy....Don't know if this helps, it's just what comes to mind when I look at it....

Tina Concetta Revie said...

It works for me Kim! They have a nostalgic feel .The cream background goes well with your muted toned colour palette.I too always seem to use a darker background, but now I am inspired to try a lighter background.

Taylor said...

Artistic ruts are the worst, but if it weren't for ruts we wouldn't have beautiful breakthroughs like this one. I love it!

Celeste Bergin said...

I love the top photo as is...background seems to work well ...the bottom photo seems to be asking for a cooler background to me...bluish. But, the best thing about oil is the ability to scrape and redo. These are both super nice florals!

Rachel said...

I really like the soft colors in these. Sometimes its hard for the artist when they know what it looked like before they changed something in a piece, but as an outsider who is only seeing the final product, I have to say I really like them.

CHRIS MURRAY said...

what I love about the top one is how beautifully you have suggested the volume of the irises with the shifts in value and color. Not an easy thing to do at all!

Pam Holnback said...

They both work. The values in the background complement the flowers. I have a floral sitting here that had a dark blue background and when I saw this it made me think of reworking it!

suzanneberry said...

the palette on all works so well! i think you've done some incredible work here...just such a wonderful marrying of colors. i'm putting them in my color inspiration folder right now! jsut beautiful!

Ralph said...

This I think if I may say so is the best I have ever seen of all your paintings this one I just love.

Neiley Harris said...

Kim, first of all, they are beautiful, step back and look at them. It is probably just another side of your creativeness that you are unsure of.
Two years ago I painted a very large, beautiful still life of sunflowers on an orange table. I was never comfortable with the orangey color of the table. It was one of those paintings that wouldn't sell. So I recently changed the color to a duller beige and felt the cringe of unsureness go away. Then, I get a call from a doctor who had seen my art at a show and remembered a very orange painting and has been thinking of buying it since he saw it. It wasn't a good feeling to tell him that I did away with the orange. I'm not sure what the moral is but I had to share that with you. Your paintings are wonderful!

Yolanda Gil said...

They are beautiful!The harmony of colours is perfect.

Me encanta la armonía de tus pinturas. Muy bien.