Laureen Marchand, “September Song” (oil/board)
to be exhibited at the Assiniboia Gallery beginning Nov. 20, 2015
This was my research question: How does sharing work in progress affect the work’s completion?
So far I have a small sample of data. Firm conclusions cannot be drawn. But the data I have is exciting.
Last week I started posting images of the progression of a painting. It felt breathtakingly daring. And one day when the piece was close to completion and terminally uncertain at the same time, I wondered if instead of being daring, it was just nuts.
It might not have been nuts. Because I wonder if maybe, just maybe, sharing has made the process faster. Like I said, the data sample is still small. But I wonder if the expectation of sharing without censoring has broken a dam in my artistic flow.
I started a painting. I shared it as it developed. This is the first painting since August that got completed instead of being abandoned partway through. Is there a relationship between these facts? Still too early to tell. The research is ongoing.
I’ll be back with more.
Would sharing help you break a dam in your own artistic flow?
* * *
This blog is a series of posts from one artist’s studio. To receive updates, plus a free printable postcard of one of my most recent paintings, just put your email in the box on the right. Your email address will never be shared.
I struggled with a couple of large paintings for a couple of years then took them to my critique group. i received some helpful direction and no discouraging comments. But a couple of days later just gessoed over them. Showing them to other eyes clarified to me that they were not exciting enough to put any more energy into.
Always good to have help seeing new ways – and letting go!