Pushing Paint - Life's a Beach in Hawaii

by ~ANT

Life's a Beach in Hawaii - In the picture above I am painting in the basic colors of the three smaller 14" x 11" pieces on the easel and continue construction on the large 40" x 30" in the foreground. The smaller pieces are on multi-ply panel which were begun at once since they were built and ready for painting. The large panel is being prepared to be wrapped in canvas.

I am using the smaller pieces to build the foundation and structure of the processes and painting techniques that will be used for the large artwork. In the end, with adjustments from a flat surface of a panel of small pieces, moving to a textured canvas including the large size differential, there are "no worries" with the large painting lagging behind the smaller pieces.

What has made this project interesting is that usually this is the time that I get all freaked out. Woe is me, the world is crashing in, the weight so heavy I can barely lift my brush to paint... those feelings were the norm for me. In talking with my longtime friend Joe, we were discussing this point and our conversation referenced the Greek Mural of a few years ago where late at night I would often call him short of breath, pacing the restaurant, bouncing off the walls with help from too much coffee, exasperated, telling him, "I don't know what the 'bleep' I'm doing! I don't know what to do next and don't know where to go! I'm 'bleeping' lost!!"

Joe reiterated this point in our recent conversation, "After all these years and your art projects... I don't understand, but it's the same every time. You freak out, everything will be o.k. Just start painting". I smile, agree, and my breathing returns to normal.

This project? This time? No worries! I am sure the 'freak out' will come, but so far, not this time. I'm painting the background colors. It's always ugly!

Having fun painting Life's a Beach in Hawaii!
~ANT
ANTworkstudio.com