A Painting a Day
Doesn't that sound like a great idea, creating a painting a day, or doing anything every day? Imagine all the work you would accumulate, how much you would improve your skills, what you would learn..... I've heard of people writing a play a day, a poem a day...
At one time I decided I would spend some time every day for a year working on my tiles, not even completing one a day, just putting in the time every day. Never happened. I would love to be that focused, that dedicated, that passionate about one part of my life. But ain't gonna happen.
I seem to work best in blocks of time. I'm really gung ho about something for a few days, or even weeks, then I have to let it go and move on to something else for a while. During the time I am interested in that one thing, I can work on it intensely, then work on the next different thing just as intensely. Some things drop off my list of interests forever, but the things I love always come around in the circle again.
One person who seems to have mastered the art of the "one a day" is Diane Hoeptner. Well, almost every day. And not just any old painting, but beautiful little paintings that I happen to love. I especially like her paintings of cut flowers in containers. Her flowers are not "still" lifes... they have a life of their own. The flowers are leaning, swaying, reaching across the canvas... they don't how to sit still!
She also does paintings of toys such as rubber duckies and pinnochio. I have to admit these are not my favorites, but they are fun, and I can imagine other people liking them, as toys seem to be popular on the art scene lately. She put nine of her pinnochio paintings together as a group which gave them new meaning and even I found that approach fascinating. I also happen to like the rubby ducky with the flower.
Her latest (December 20) posting is A Pair of Red Amaryllis Paintings. Separately these paintings are wonderful. Together makes them, oh well, doubly wonderful!
Of course, I have to mention that she paints cats too. But not enough, in my opinion!
I have known Diane for many years. When she lived in LA she was a member of the Culver City Art Group. I was in awe of her colored pencil portraits. But now I like her looser style of oil paintings even more. I hope you will check out Diane's blog on a regular basis and her postings will inspire you to do more art work yourself! (Hmmm, maybe I'm saying this to myself...)
http://dianehoeptner.blogspot.com/

Happy (Creative) Holidays!

Every year I set up my Dickens Village between Halloween and Thanksgiving to welcome in the holiday season. All the Village People have come out to wish you peace, love, harmony.... and most of all, ART... during this festive season and in the year to come!

(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)