Interpretation, Frustration, and Time

I sat down today and tried to paint, but quickly realized I wasn't in the right mood or mindset to paint.  It really takes a special mood and mindset to sit down and paint a quality piece (quality of course is relative regarding me).  Painting really is a very personal activity.  When I get in the proper mood to paint its almost to the point of being fanatical about it.  I usually can't focus on anything else and I see things different.  I'm constantly looking at my surroundings and imagining them as brushstrokes and colors.  That's really all a great painting is.  Its a relationship of the right colors in the right places with the right brushstrokes.  So simple yet so frustrating sometimes.  However the right place and the right color is what you want it to be.  Painting is about interpreting not copying, and its hard to do effectively.  Its one of the areas I'm trying to work on most.  I see so many beautiful things everyday, like that yellow vase from work or that cloud during a sunset, but interpreting those onto a canvas in a compelling way is difficult, and not just because of the subjects complexity.  

Sometimes painting is discouraging, like tonight.  Some days I feel like my art is at a level so far below hundreds of other great artists that it seems like I'll never get to a higher level because there will always be something better then mine.  Days like this are tough, but I know that tomorrow can be completely different.  In regards to comparing your art to others, I found a great quote while reading another blog that says, "It’s important to know who you are. There is no competition if you are not copying someone else." (Cash Art Blog).

And the final random musing for today is that so far, scheduling time to paint hasn't worked out.  Even if you arrange your schedule so you'll have some free time to paint doesn't mean you'll feel like painting at that time.  Its frustrating when that happens, just like its frustrating when you want nothing more then to paint, but you can't because you have to do something else.  Its like ignoring an itch, almost drives you mad.

Well that's all for today, hopefully in these next few days I'll get to use the canvas I've prepped for some plein air painting.  Really looking forward to painting a raw, live scene.  Thanks for reading, please leave some comments if you want, and please share this blog with your friends.  I promise it will get better...hopefully!