". . . a brush with nature"

Quite a long time ago I read an article on what to do if you are feeling like you don’t have an idea for a new painting. In it there were quite a few suggestions that might spark an inspiration. Some forced you to think outside of the box and explore new concepts, while others challenged you to experiment with different methods, medium or size. There were many recommendations offered. 

Since reading that article I have challenged myself to try some of the suggestions made, not so much because I was lacking an idea for a painting, but mostly because they just sounded like something new to try. For the most part it has been fun and I’ve added something extra and unexpected to my normal “toolbox” and/or art routine. 

One of those suggestions was to work in black and white only, which I had already been doing to some extent with my scratchboard artwork, but seldom with my painting. I found it to be a great starting place for me and I have since modified the initial premise to include shades of gray or a “pop” of a single color to add additional interest to my piece.

Eventually, carrying it even a step further, I  chose to paint an entire series of paintings on an extremely dark background (not really black, but it can certainly appear that way to viewers.) So far, these pieces have all been small works in similar formats, all framed with a basic black molding and all featuring whimsical animals and birds. I’ve painted a lot of them and I’ve had so much fun doing it. It turns out that I really love these little critters and the stories that they tell!

I believe that this just goes to show that even if you start out with a suggestion that was meant to help in one way, you just never really know where it might lead you. I’m so glad I decided to explore a different path and then followed where it led me!