Roses in a Blue Vase

These roses are from the same bush as yesterday’s painting – a different colour harmony this time. In fact, this painting is really about the colour harmony more than anything else.

I think the is the closest I’ve got so far to my idea of how the flake white can be made to represent rose petals without actually drawing them. I’m not sure how to describe this, but the paint does seem to lend itself to this. If I can get close with the first brush stroke and then leave it pretty much alone, just tweak a little, the effect can be very different from drawing – even if it doesn’t look exactly like the subject!

I suppose that we’re always experimenting to a greater or lesser extent, and trying to grow. At the moment, the proportion of experimenting I’m doing is probably higher than usual.

I’m trying to use the paint more descriptively (I’m having trouble explaining this in words, as you can probably tell) and also to create more texture on the surface. I’m drawn to texture at the moment because I think it can create a more life-like, more involving picture – even if it might mean moving away from something closer to the visual impression.

I’m spending hours pouring over images of Carlsen’s and Hovsep Pushman’s work and trying to work out how those textures are made. I suspect very slowly and patiently. I so wish I could see some of Carlsen’s work in the flesh.

I don’t know yet where this is going to take me, and I accept that to the outside world it might not seem much different than what I usually do at all. I have no way of knowing.

But I do know that uncertainty is no reason not to do something. And there are times when you have to actively seek it out of you want to grow.