Mud Pies and Musings

My on line painting class recommends that in order to grow and learn and continue producing fresh work, that one divides painting time. Part is spent on a new challenge or question employing the "thinking" (slow/analytical/ critical/learning) self. Then, when working on a painting, one is freed up to paint better fresher work using (unconsciously) what one has learned in previous "learning" times. I think this is how workshops or true class time is supposed to work. That means: not great paintings made while learning. Instead, answers to questions or goals set by the teacher (or agreed to by the teacher in advance). Another article that I read recently by a painting teacher described her students being tired after class (new learning does that especially to older minds). I think I will remember this for my classes of "advancing" students. "Class" means learning: not open studio. I think one can get permission to use the various community buildings for open studio. I want my students leaving "tired" and challenged because that is what makes me grow (and be happy) as a teacher.

Okay so, here is my "challenge". My question was twofold: what will happen if I destroy almost every edges (trying to make it so that you can only barely recognize the (boring) chicken) and what will happen when I "push" all of these lovely color mixes...
Ready?

Maybe a few too many "spots"??  But, that chicken is really moving,. The painting is energetic and I LOVE these colors (even if they are undisciplined and too many intense colors are present).










Now, what happens to the painting that I did in my "free painting" time?

Mud Pies/ oil on canvas board/ 5 x 7/

I want my work to be looser and "blocky": pieces of color and integration of foreground and background. Here is what I did.


Love to hear what you think.