(Still) Life in Progress

I'm still not done with this painting. There are times when life seems to go in s...l...o...w motion.  Nothing happens fast enough. Or it seems as though we are spinning our wheels in one place. Lots of effort with no results. How do you determine when it's best to ditch the effort and go on to something else? I think my progress with "By the Window" can illustrate the "still life" we all experience at one time or another when nothing seems to go our way or when things don't happen fast enough; when it seems that we don't have the Midas Touch and make things worse instead of turning them to gold. If a still life painting represents the artist's view of reality, then art mimics life?

In life, as in the process of creating art, sometimes it's best AND necessary to step back and survey the scene from different angles before deciding what to do next. Maybe you'll see that you actually have made a difference, and it IS working! JOY! Another tactic: leave it alone for awhile; when you come back to it with a fresh perspective, you may have more success. And then (big sigh), there's times when you try your best and only make things worse. Don't give up. Forgive yourself and try again. Persistence and keeping an eye on the big picture, as well as on the details, can get results. 

We're always learning how to do it better, how to streamline through trial and error. At first, my painting was only two bottles and I didn't have a window or a gourd. Then I wasn't happy (completely frustrated is more like it!) with the tabletop angle and changed it (screwed it up) several times, painting over the whole thing too many times to mention (I got over it). Next, I thought the sky was too dark and reworked it, taking out the trees in the process (I will put them back in - I'm not afraid of a re-do!). Finally (whew!), using color, I was able to bring more harmony and balance to the weight of the shapes, and I'm closer to a workable solution and a finished painting. 

Don't sweat the small stuff, keep your faith, live with confidence that you will find success.

~ellen.