Newport Vignette

This is just a quick and loose sketch based upon scenes from our Newport paintout day. I don’t know why, sometimes I like the fast and loose ones better than the ones I toil over for hours. But I just can’t bring myself to ‘dash off’ something I intend for a show. Which is the kiss of death, of course, and invites overworking , overthinking, just over-overing. Sigh.

There’s an Irish proverb, attributed to various people, that says
“Work like you don’t need money,
Love like you’ve never been hurt,
And dance like no one’s watching.”

And to that I might add … “Paint like it doesn’t matter.”

Now I’ve got to finish framing up a few things to take to a friend’s open studio tomorrow, for a group exhibition on Sunday.
And gather some things together for another library show on Saturday. Then back to the painting board!

Comments

1. 

   Pamela
   May 31, 2007

   I took your advise and just painted whatever last week. Yeah.. it looked like whatever too.. but it was fun.

   I like this painting, too I like all the color changes

2. 

   carole
   June 1, 2007

   I really like this quick painting. I can empathise with that dilemma about whether something quick is good enough for a show. But a quick painting has a lively character and also it is the culmination of years of skill and experience of the artist – so why would it not be good enough for a show?

   Enjoy your big project!

3. 

   Claudia
   June 1, 2007

   Karen, this is again soo beautiful!!!

4. 

   Irene
   June 1, 2007

   Good advice and a great painting.

5. 

   ellen2art
   June 1, 2007

   I love this painting and others, of course. Also, I agree with your sentiment about painting as if you didn’t care or it didn’t matter. When I tell myself, so what . . ., who cares. . .. just do it, my stuff comes out much better.

6. 

   Jackie
   June 1, 2007

   I like this one too. It looks much nicer, even quickly scribbled, than Newport in Wales! (where my beloved lives)

7. 

   Sarah
   June 2, 2007

   Although I frequently have trouble being loose, I do tend to prefer looser work – I think it’s because when something loose really works it’s confident and authoritative as well as fresh. You have that here, and also in the market flowers sketch.