Jekyll Island Painting Trip

Here are some images from my recent painting trip to Jekyll Island, GA. I drove down to meet my sister and her daughter, who were vacationing there for a week. I decided to drive so that I could bring my new plein air painting set up and do some painting. This was a mixed bag – It took me 12 hours to get there (not fun), but it was nice to be able to go wherever I wanted and set up my painting stuff with minimal hassle. I got some painting in and also did some sight seeing. As you can see, I got some good reference photos as well.

Sunset Jekyll Marina

Sunset Jekyll Club Hotel

Sunset Jekyll Marina

“ Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. ”

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
Dutch painter

Personal Log – Star Date 12/4/10

The last few days I have been somewhat depressed because I missed the OOAK Show in Chicago and the last real opportunity to make sales in 2010. I am trying to keep my mind off of this and focus on creating new work.

Getting Better As A Painter

No matter how well a painting turns out, I always feel a sense that I can do it better next time.  I recently read an article about artist Jill Carver in Southwest Art magazine (June 2010).  She said: “I think I’ve found who I am stylistically. I just want to get better as a painter. In my head, I’m six months ahead of what’s coming out at the end of the paintbrush. There’s always a sense of chasing to catch up. That’s what gets me up every day: I think my next painting could be better.” www.southwestart.com I know how she feels, I feel the same way.

Reception Collage – “The Process Creates the Results”

Following my daughter’s wedding in December, I was struck with many feelings, both personal and artistic.  I decided to make some collages to commemorate these feelings and to help me internalize the process that generated them.  The purpose of this particular collage is not to create a “wedding memories” album. Rather, it is to memorialize the link between preparation and success.  I want to remember the feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction that I had, which were so strong that they lasted for days.

Satisfaction: Not only was I able to make eye contact with my wife, daughter and new son-in-law and get through my remarks without getting emotional, I actually enjoyed and remembered the moment (in fact, I could not get it out of my head – I kept re-living it for days).

Accomplishment: My remarks generated enthusiastic applause throughout the presentation and a huge ovation at the end — indeed, I received a Standing Ovation from one table (a group of friends from the neighborhood). Further, as I circulated thru the room after my remarks, numerous people commented that I had “raised the bar” for other Father of the Bride to come!  One woman told me “it wasn’t just a home run but you knocked it way out of the park.”   Another woman said she was deeply moved by my homage to Jane — particularly when I said I loved her at this moment more than ever. (All the women ate up this part!)

As I looked back on the events during the days following the wedding, I concluded that all of this was only possible because of the preparation I did — practicing my remarks over and over and visualizing myself giving it.  I also concluded that creating art work is the same — a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction will only come with preparation. The process creates the results.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​

Rehearsal Collage – Homage to the wedding party

“Enjoy the Moment” and “Let go of Obsessiveness“

Following the weekend of my daughter’s wedding, as I reviewed photographs posted on Facebook by the members of the wedding party and as I reflected on my own memories of the weekend’s evens, I experienced a deep sense of peace, joy and happiness. I attribute these feelings to the fact that I was able to “enjoy the moment.” I was able to do this, in part, by just “letting go” and simply enjoying whatever happened, like sitting with my wife’s friend at dinner (instead of with my wife), going to Hikes Point Lounge and dancing, having people at our house all day the day of the wedding, etc. I wasn’t nervous, uptight or obsessive the entire weekend. In fact, I surprised myself by how just much I was able to relax and let go and by how much I enjoyed the entire weekend. The entirety of the experience was a paradigm shift – I realized that I need to gain from this and allow myself to be this way more often – and I need to do it in my art!   I decided to make a collage (using materials and techniques that were not typical for me, as a way to stretch my artistic boundaries) to capture and memorialize not only the specific events, but the feelings I had.  I hung the collage in my Studio to serve as a constant reminder of these things.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Bursts of Creativity

MY THOUGHTS:

I have periods of time when I feel as if I’m getting nothing substantive accomplished, then I have periods of great deal of activity & I fell like I got a lot done. It occurs to me that one reason for this is my methodology: I tend to spend a lot of time “preparing” or “setting up” things (e.g., entering database info before getting to a final report; adding to & massaging info in Quickbooks before getting to the bottom line; adding detailed item info to Excel before printing a summary of paintings sold) then I can do a lot in a short time (e.g., analyze data, print reports, etc.). The same applies to painting – I spend a lot of time collecting and organizing source data (photographs, images form magazines & the web, etc.), organizing my materials (physical inventory, Quickbooks inventory entries, implementing storage solutions, labels, etc.) and my workspace (Open Studio carts & tables, music system, lighting, wall displays, etc.). Then I have intermittent periods where I produce a lot of work in a relatively short period of time (I’m “in the zone”).

RELATED THOUGHTS:

Notice how this ties in to Betty Edwards’ right brain/left brain concept.

Eric Maisel comments extensively about the concept of “quieting the mind.” He notes that a “noisy mind” can’t have large ideas arise in it; that simply keeping small ideas in your head prevents large ideas from arising. (This is why I need to be organized first – i.e., to get the “noise” out of my mind and into some other place, like on a list or in a drawer- before I can produce.) To quiet the mind, Maisel advocates the use of his Ten Zen Seconds technique of marrying one deep breath with important thoughts. See: 10 Zen Seconds

Creativity takes effort and energy (that’s why I sometimes need a nap before I can paint!). See Waverly Fitzgerald’s lecture re: the importance of rest and its place in all natural cycles. See smARTist lecture notes.

Disciplined Freedom

Its not an oxymoron! You need quiet time to be creative. You have to discipline yourself to protect your time in order to have the freedom you need to create.

Art Takes Hold

I started painting again in 2005.  At that time I was still practicing law full time.  I painted in the evenings and on weekends.