Fine Friday

Today, after more struggling, I decided to go for another strategy to find my way again; get an overview of last year's paintings. I've just put paintings on one of the walls yet - but I can already feel it's helpful... Have a nice weekend!

still life

Could still lives be my new thing? (or is it just my lunch?)

Malin Kort has started a project building Olympic Games Stadiums in match boxes. I'm looking forward to see how it will develop! (first one is great!)

hard times in the studio

I've decided that all spring - until end of May - is to be just for working in an unconditional way in my studio. I've been feeling for some time that I need a change in my art - a challenge, something new. It's been very frustrating. In the end of November I felt I was on to something ... but now I'm not as sure any longer. I hope it is only that I have some trouble getting back into it ... and that it will come. Next exhibition isn't until next spring. So I have time. The thing is though - that I don't really want anyone to be looking at what I do - so I might have to blog about other things! Minor experiments with materials, maybe?

daffodil

In the lunch room in my studio. (I'm kind of wordless, but I will be more wordy soon again) Aris' drawings are just getting better and better...

Just noticed that the Jealous Curator has been jealous of me - again. (I don't mind)

exhibition: Dan Perrin

Last week I went to Dan Perrin's opening at Galleri Thomassen - I very much liked his drawings! Playful and childish, but with a darkness and melancholia. I saw the exhibition with Camilla who posted some photos of Dan Perrin's paintings at her blog. The paintings aren't bad either.

I wish I had been able to see Cecilia at Stockholm Furniture Fair these days. (But I will have to settle for just photos and her stories about it)

not making it easy

In order to not get too skillful I constantly try to challenge myself. Making it less comfortable when working has always been one of my way strategies ... but now it really was super hard.  The canvas is so broad that I can not stand with one foot on each side without risking to slide further down in a split. The painting can not be standing because I paint in watercolour and I don't want it to get stripes. Standing on the side trying to reach and paint without getting the right angle isn't good either. So - I had to construct a little bridge for me to kneel on when painting with totally stretched arm (big movements). It's not totally stable and I can feel I'm putting to much weight in the middle... You know what they say - why make it easy if you can make it hard?

sketching with tape

Normally I don't sketch - I just attack - but with this canvas I felt I needed to plan a bit more. It's huge, costed quite some money (with expensive stretch frame and special canvas prepared with three layers of gesso) and took time to prepare... Another thing is that I can't be as tough with this canvas as with paper - which means scrubbing and washing away isn't an option. I have to do it right straight away. (still working with watercolors)

So I sketch with yellow paper tape. And I really like the way it looks with just those straight lines. A thought to save for something else