Monday 27 May 2013

Beach Path

                            Acrylic on canvas 45cm x 35cm (18" x 14"ish) Circa 2007

I've had a bout of bronchitis this past week which I think I now have the better of. This is partly responsible for falling fallow with painting in recent weeks. There has also been a lot happening on many fronts - including other creative projects, so in the interim I thought I'd post something I painted years ago.

This painting was my first ever attempt at using acrylic paints. I had done several works in pastels, oils and watercolours over the years but I wanted to give acrylics a go. I attended a weekly class to get some guidance on how to use the medium. This painting was executed over quite a long period - at least 6 months or maybe even a year. I rarely touched it in-between class time.

After this painting I had every intention of continuing with the medium and had already begun preparing what I was going to paint next, but I decided to stop going to the class with the aim of relying on self-motivation and painting at home. I did continue to create watercolour illustrations from time to time for birthday cards and suchlike, but it took until the beginning of 2012 to revisit my acrylic paints - now forlorn and congealing in their tubes.

It was my 10 day painting challenge that got me painting regularly again, with no more than 2 or so weeks passing between sessions. I still can't quite believe how effective the challenge was for kick-starting a regular painting habit. 10 days doesn't sound much in the face of the 30 day challenges that others have been doing - or of course the amazing daily painting habits of some talented creatures, but it was enough to get me started.
Hopefully my experience may encourage others to realise that new habits can begin with modest commitments.

24 comments:

  1. Great color and such a wonderful sense of distance; the water's just perfect!
    Bronchitis is awful--I hope you're fully recovered soon!

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    1. Thanks for visiting Laura and for your kind comments!

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  2. Gorgeous seascape, Wendy! The colors are excellent and the path invites you into the composition. I hope you are feeling better!

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    1. Thanks so much Celia, I am improving and hope to soon be up to finishing off a painting I started last week.

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  3. This is really awesome Wendy, the green is so perfect it looks real , a beach I would love to visit ! Take care , wish you a speedy recovery !

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    1. Thanks Jane, We are lucky to have stunning beaches on our doorstep over here.

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  4. What a lovely painting.......... the path that leads you in, the shadows and the movement of the wave. AND there's nothing like a painting challenge to get ourselves moving! :-)

    Great to hear you are recovering !

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    1. Thanks for your comments Helen! Yes, I'm still in shock at how well the challenge worked after years of never being able to buckle down.
      Your flower paintings are just glorious!!!

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  5. Good morning Wendy!
    So sorry you haven't been feeling well! I hope you are "up and at 'em" soon! Consider this a get well card cobbler!
    I love your painting! Great skill here! I love the path through the dunes beckoning the viewer to take a dip in the most beautiful ocean. Love the glorious blues and greens used for the sea! The very well painted clouds on the horizon add some drama! Bravo!
    This beach is so much like our many beaches in Cape Cod, Massachusetts! Only difference is your Indian Ocean has a bit more turquoise than our North Atlantic! The colors of the sea remind me of lyrics from James Taylor's song "Sweet Baby James"..."Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose!"
    Again, hope you are feeling better soon Mate!
    Your USA Art Buddy!
    Michael

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    1. Thank you for the get well card Michael!! Thanks too for all your wonderful comments!
      I was initially disappointed a few years ago when the council "improved" this path by paving it. It lost the lovely country feel to it. But on the positive side, I realised it allowed closer access to the beach by wheelchair.
      I like the James Taylor lyrics!!

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  6. Oops!
    "Cobber!" Not "cobbler!"
    Sorry Mate!

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    1. No need to apologise Michael - maybe it's a Freudian slip what with the ocean theme! haha!

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  7. Such a wonderful painting, Wendy!!! I love this one very much!
    It's a beautiful view and relaxing to look at.
    You painted the shadows on the sand, the dune flora and of course the ocean perfectly. The colors you used are amazing.
    Very good work Wendy, I hope you get well soon! :)

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  8. Thanks so much for your comments Hilje. It's nice to hear which aspects drew your attention.
    I'm improving by the day thank you!

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  9. Beautiful seascape. So inviting. Great looking through your paintings old and new!

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comments Robin. I always appreciate you visiting!

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  10. Hi Wendy! Your painting looks beautiful. I can almost feel the warm breeze through my face! Haha, Nice too see that there are still people that can actually paint what I can only visit in my dreams! Good Luck!

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  11. Hi Dave, Thanks so much for visiting my blog and for your kind comments!

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  12. Hi Wendy Just had PC problems so I hope you get this. Your painting is just fab. I can see the hours you put into it. Wow your post sparked off so much I'd love to talk to you about over a coffee: health, pigments, classes, and most of all self-motivation. Sadly we have to make do with a few lines. Hope you are completely on the mend. I'll catch up with you sometime during my busy summer schedule. Take care. xx

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  13. Thanks so much Laura! That is exactly how I felt when I saw your last blog post!
    I will look forward to hearing all about the exciting activities you have planned for the summer. No doubt you will be overwhelmed with painting inspiration in Italy - how lucky you are to be so close to Europe for holidaying. Looking forward to all your elephant paintings too from your South African jaunt!
    Enjoy it all!

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  14. That's good to hear, that the 10 day challenge DID work to get you into a daily painting habit. I often have people in my gallery who say they used to paint or draw, but somehow they've stopped. I'll tell them about your success story! I love the painting. The composition is so pleasant, the way the path leads upward into the sea. The shadows on the path are wonderful too! Great work! I'm looking forward to more!

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  15. Thanks for all your great feedback Katherine. Yes, not so long ago I was exactly that person. I too visited galleries and would say how I was hoping to take up painting again, but deep down not knowing quite how I'd go about it. So it feels like a miracle of sorts to be back into it.
    Your work is such an inspiration Katherine!

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  16. I am always in awe of the daily painters, they manage to produce something different each time. I paint almost every day, I save weekends for family and friends, but even though I might paint every day it takes weeks to finish a painting like I do as they are usually quite big, or very detailed.
    thanks for the comments by the way wendy it was nice to hear from you. keep up the good work.

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    1. Thanks for visiting Moira! I love your beautiful paintings!

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