29 November, 2012

Calm Lake

Calm Lake   18x24 Charcoal on paper

This is a charcoal drawing that is part of a series that I completed in September.  I have completed  six drawings of the same composition; each experimenting with different techniques.

Late August 2012,  I traveled to a secluded lake in Northern Michigan for a long weekend.  This drawing is a view of the tree line and horizon across the lake.   This short voyage brought calm, peace, and clarity to my life for three days.   I am hoping to recapture these feelings in a new painting that I will begin soon.


I'm currently trying to complete an oil painting that I started work in July.  It has been a long process of challenging myself with new ideas to help me find passion but with only minimal results.  During my latest attempt to work on this unfinished oil painting, I challenged myself again. I found inspiration by adding red paint in the final unfinished corner.  It's not very attractive, but it was a good exercise for me to release some inner confusion that showed in the line weights and the texture.    After the paint is dry, I will be covering the red with white.

I am  nearing the completion of this painting, and I am very anxious to begin a new one inspired by the charcoal lake scene drawing.    I think this charcoal drawing and the unfinished  oil painting are very close to the emotions that are causing me unrest, impatience, and confusion.  Maybe even disorientation?    One of my friends gave me this analogy, "Maybe you are a saltwater fish, trying to live in freshwater?".  and my reply,  "I guess I need to figure out how to grow an extra set of gills so that I can breathe in both environments. "     This is my challenge.