Follow

detail of flowers from "Traditions" painting

Today I spent the afternoon painting with my friend Kim.  She worked on a landscape from a trip to Alaska, and I began the imprimatura on my “Traditions” painting (I like to use the term imprimatura because it sounds more sophisticated than underpainting, even though they are relatively the same thing).

I am a notoriously slow painter, so it should be of no surprise that it took me 5+ hours to basically rough in the flowers.  But still, it was nice to get that block of time to work, and feel like I could see some progress.  As a professor, I get to start a lot of projects (mostly as examples and demonstrations), but I rarely get to see them to completion.  I should spend more time in my studio, producing my “own” work.  Hopefully, this blog will help me do just that (it’s also good to have a deadline!).

The flowers in this painting are based on the bouquet I had in my wedding.  My sister Alice did a wonderful job of arranging hydrangeas, rose, and daffodils (from my parents garden).

It was fun to be working on this part of the painting today, because it feels like spring, and it makes me think that nicer weather is not too far off.  It was a reminder I needed today – we just got another 3 inches of snow!