tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post7082888622774335306..comments2023-11-30T01:19:27.460-07:00Comments on Blank Canvas: The Cringe FactorStacey Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10092020892186641387noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-88008901909801713802008-06-02T14:03:00.000-06:002008-06-02T14:03:00.000-06:00As a more recent arrival to landscape painting *an...As a more recent arrival to landscape painting *and* as a fan of you work, I read this post with a different set of eyes than I might normally.<BR/><BR/>I look at the progression you posted and absolutely see the growth and evolution.<BR/><BR/>The first is a fine painting. It has much to recommend it. <BR/><BR/>When I see the third, and then look back on the first, I see the first as being a well executed study for the final piece. <BR/><BR/>There's a much more complex treatment of atmosphere, edges, color, and shape in the last piece. That sort of growth is always encouraging to see. Great job (and post) Stacey!Jason Waskeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14980929709727586080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-36796773334704519452008-05-29T07:49:00.000-06:002008-05-29T07:49:00.000-06:00Beautiful work Stacey. I love the muted color and...Beautiful work Stacey. I love the muted color and sense of depth. You were writing about the cringe factor, well do I know the feeling. There is a room in my basement full all of the stages of learning, about three years worth and many more to go. I regularly go through them and weed out the worst so I use the stretcher bars and start over with a new attempt.michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10663899291867137812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-11339660664021827742008-05-28T22:31:00.000-06:002008-05-28T22:31:00.000-06:00Wow - what a response to this post!! I should post...Wow - what a response to this post!! I should post my bad paintings more often ;)<BR/><BR/>Tracy - the fear of previous clients not coming along with the change is real, but I try my best not to paint for the market and ignore that pressure!<BR/><BR/>Shannon - but that painting doesn't have ENOUGH paint on it. Actually, it's the drawing that drives me nuts - his hand is way too small!!! <BR/><BR/>Susan - LOL at you not including the link to your old blog. Sometimes I think about deleting old posts, but I love to look back and see where I've come from.<BR/><BR/>Laura - I'm glad this helps you out. I always hesitate to post things like this (if this were a blog aimed at selling my work I'd worry about what collectors would think), but in the end I remember that I write this blog for me and for other artists, and if it helps someone to see some of my shortcomings and struggles, then it's worth it.Stacey Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10092020892186641387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-26006725165328534842008-05-28T17:00:00.000-06:002008-05-28T17:00:00.000-06:00hi stacey. just want to thank you for putting up t...hi stacey. just want to thank you for putting up these paintings and being specific about how you've changed each one. i learn from that. i have your blog on "favorites" for inspiration. i quit a ph.d. to paint and i'm using a spare bedroom and watching videos of dan gerhartz, richard schmid, etc. and taking workshops when i can. thank you so much for your posts. lauraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-59413519812190864462008-05-28T07:24:00.000-06:002008-05-28T07:24:00.000-06:00It's so good to read your thoughts about your reac...It's so good to read your thoughts about your reactions to seeing previous work. I've had all those thoughts, so it's interesting to see them "written out loud" somewhere. I'm making an effort to look as kindly upon my previous efforts as I want to look on any other previous decision I made- it doesn't mean we aren't trying to learn still more if we aren't harsh toward what came before. The attitude we have toward our previous work is really attitude toward our previous selves -that's who did the work. I certainly don't want to repeat my old choices, but they were my best effort at the time, and so have their place in my journey. Blogging sure helps keep track, doesn't it? I've had a few cringes looking back in my archives. I even removed the link to my previous blog on my current one! But it gives me hope that my paintings 5 years down the line will be SO much better. Thank you for talking about this, Stacey!Susan Carlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06110529181768705593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-5410475456951175772008-05-27T21:38:00.000-06:002008-05-27T21:38:00.000-06:00I'm a big fan of thick juicy paint and bright colo...I'm a big fan of thick juicy paint and bright colors, and as I sit here and stare at the portait of Daniel, I think that must be what you don't like about it. But I think it's lovely and you're not touching it. Hehe.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09874186529099858245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-32219111677640990592008-05-27T19:33:00.000-06:002008-05-27T19:33:00.000-06:00I love these kind of thought-provoking posts!I thi...I love these kind of thought-provoking posts!<BR/><BR/>I think we, as artists always grow and change. That's one of the scary things: the fear that previous clients may not move with you.<BR/><BR/>I can attest to seeing work from your past and rolling your eyes wanting to add/change it. But there's also times I see a work and it takes me back to what i was working on and pushing at the time. Kinda of a visual journal. <BR/><BR/>I can also remeber pieces where I tried something for the first time and it worked! Those pieces, though game for changes, have sentimental value to me.<BR/><BR/>Nice post! (So interesting seeing the changes!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-511571246607245072008-05-27T08:14:00.000-06:002008-05-27T08:14:00.000-06:00Kristin - I could see this really applying to writ...Kristin - I could see this really applying to writing too. I think it's great if we're able to see the shortfalls of our previous work - it means we're improving.<BR/><BR/>Helene - I'm glad you like both as I do think a lot of it is just an evolution in personal style. However, I didn't have the skill to paint in my current style two years ago, so the older stuff is more accidental!<BR/><BR/>Barb - thanks for stopping by. My sister has a portrait of her son that I painted five years ago, hanging in her apartment - everytime I go over there I think I need to re-paint the thing! And you're right - there are a lot of mediocre artists out there stuggling to succeed because they are too satisfied with themselves to improve.Stacey Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10092020892186641387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-39374373101328727102008-05-26T15:11:00.000-06:002008-05-26T15:11:00.000-06:00Interesting post. I hope to always be improving. I...Interesting post. I hope to always be improving. I was at my sisters house last night and on her wall is a painting I did two years ago, yuck. I want to steal it and replace it with something new. I guess that happens to most artists. I do know people who don't paint well and will never improve because they are very satisfied with the way they paint. BarbBarbara Paskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02236804963054766302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-57029865782612553152008-05-25T07:14:00.000-06:002008-05-25T07:14:00.000-06:00Very intersting post confronting your performance ...Very intersting post confronting your performance a few years ago to yours now. <BR/>yOUr style is more sensitive (is that correct?) and precise (reflection on water is just perfect!)!<BR/>But I like both styles as I love the contrasts on the 2005 painting!<BR/>Very inspiring!hjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16825054336470744829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-40632379319235218312008-05-24T07:49:00.000-06:002008-05-24T07:49:00.000-06:00Stacey,As I read your post I think about my writin...Stacey,<BR/>As I read your post I think about my writing. I can't believe some of the stuff I wrote a year ago; or five years ago. Okay, really 1 day ago. Thanks for making me remember that learning and changing happen for every art form. <BR/>KristenKristen Lodgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08501948118265342268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-84589402717689128542008-05-23T21:08:00.000-06:002008-05-23T21:08:00.000-06:00Veronica - art is so subjective sometimes that I f...Veronica - art is so subjective sometimes that I figured there would be folks who liked the older version better - you proved me right!<BR/><BR/>Michael - good thoughts! It's funny, but a few years ago, I would have said that my goal was to use thicker paint and brighter colors, but I've ended up going the other direction. I know that there are a lot of people who love thick juicy paint and bold colors, but I thought hard about things and decided I'd rather go in the direction of my paintings being sensitive and moody than bold. <BR/><BR/>Christine - I think you alluded to something when you said that you're proud of old paintings when you remember the passion that went into them. That's why I don't mind posting my old work - I think it's so valuable to look back and remember who I was. <BR/><BR/>Lisa - I'm glad you like the vertical. I actually think the format change was the biggest improvement!Stacey Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10092020892186641387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-83981865057459459792008-05-23T20:36:00.000-06:002008-05-23T20:36:00.000-06:00Thanks for sharing an example showing your growth....Thanks for sharing an example showing your growth. I really like the vertical format for the last piece - it's wonderful!Lisa Callhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757517309377110626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-59264702622476943662008-05-23T12:20:00.000-06:002008-05-23T12:20:00.000-06:00great post stacey! and a brave one too. i don't th...great post stacey! and a brave one too. i don't think many artists would show their vulnerability like this. i feel all three paintings are beautiful in their own right. the brushstrokes and handling of color have changed, which is an expected maturity in an artist, but i love that each one represents you at a different point in your life. that is something to be proud of not cringe at.<BR/><BR/>i prefer bolder colors to softer more subtle ones, therefore the first painting really jumps to me. it's about preference, your's have gradually changed, I agree wtih MLA's comments.<BR/><BR/> i look back at older paintings of my own and think 'yuck' sometimes, but then i remember how passionate i was about them at that moment and remind myself that a great painting isn't always about perfect technique or color, but about the inspiration and passion behind the image the artist was trying to convey at the time. <BR/><BR/>as artist's we are our own worst critics. these are three truly unique and beautiful paintings.Christine Mercer-Vernonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16172684068981411097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-37033557344951136562008-05-22T20:03:00.000-06:002008-05-22T20:03:00.000-06:00No cringing needed here. Stacy, your first paintin...No cringing needed here. Stacy, your first painting is beautiful. The most recent painting has aspects that you now prefer but that does not diminish the beauty of the earlier work.<BR/><BR/>I also like the subtlety and variety in the color and your sensitivity for edges in the more recent painting. Your technique is more refined now. What I find interesting in the earlier one is its foreshadowing of how you would be painting three years in the future. You could have made different choices - exploring stronger colors and big impasto - but you went a different way.<BR/><BR/>I am happy for your choices and you are, too. But had you gone a different direction the results would have been glorious, too.Michael Lynn Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07112581053449176755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082684.post-71285706902280614662008-05-22T19:29:00.000-06:002008-05-22T19:29:00.000-06:00It's funny to hear your comments about colours bei...It's funny to hear your comments about colours being garish on version #1, as I love the piece you're referring too. I always find it interesting when a viewer likes the work that I don't, and vice versa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com