Resplendent Morning

"Resplendent Morning" - mixed media on gallery-wrapped canvas, 24" x 12".  Ready to hang.  Available on Artfinder.

We all learn as much as we wish to and no more. We learn in different ways, sometimes by not learning…. My way is by trial and error, by groping, stumbling, questioning. - HENRY MILLER

Oh Henry.  Yes and yes.  Trial and error...stumbling.  My methods exactly.

The month of extreme painting make-over, flip or flop  (art edition) continues.  In this piece I tackled two goals - to make-over an old painting AND to add a new twist.  After a field trip to Blick and a basket of florescent paints, I was ready to roll.  

But first, let's define a "failed" painting.  It can mean a painting that is obviously ugly.  Or a piece that just misses the mark.  Or one that I particularly liked, but no one else did (a marketing fail).  Or one that everyone else liked, but I couldn't stand.  Or, finally, a painting that is of a certain age that no longer qualifies for competitions and no longer represents my style as an artist.  Sheesh!  That's a lot of fails!  

The original piece behind this painting received a lot of attention, but just never flew the coop.  It was time to give it a new life.  I didn't expect it to change to completely!  All that remains is a few streaks of red and orange and a bit of texture.  The rest is gone.  I decided to show you the original, dear reader.  A reminder to us all not to feel too precious about our art, but to go boldly forth and throw paint.  Even if it is thrown on an existing piece.

​This was my first foray into florescent paints, of which there is only a hint in the new painting (I think it would be very easy to go overboard with this).  But it really makes a POP that I am quite fond of.  I embraced the vibrant colors of south Florida, even as my heart pines for the muted grays and greens and misty dark colors of Ireland.