Wednesday 15 September 2010

Inspired!


I'm chuffed! My painting is flowing these days like water through my hands, and it feels good! But sometimes, in fear, we try to let a painting feel 'finished', because we want it to be ~ because we're afraid to ruin something that's 'nearly perfect'! A painting I posted on my website and Facebook of Ardnish was just such a painting. I kept looking at it, thinking, 'that's not right!', and trying to pretend I was leaving it because I wanted to 'keep it loose'! I'm always fighting the impulse to get tight in my work, and this time I wasn't going to let it happen! Funny how my words to my students come back to haunt me, and I'm required to live by my own statements! If somethings not right, its not right! The balance isn't right, its not resolved - doesn't matter if you're doing an abstract, a colorist, or an impressionist painting! I KNEW it wasn't right!


A dear friend stopped by the studio to see the new work, and while appreciating my prolific output in the past 8 weeks, he stopped at the problem child. 'This one's not right! The water's just not right!' The only thing he said! Then correcting himself to compliment the rest of the work in his usual, honest way, he came back to it, and repeated himself. I thanked him for his honesty, saying I'd thought the same thing but had been afraid to do the work. But his honesty made me find the courage to touch the painting again. An hours work later, and its finished. See what you think! go to http://www.gailwendorf.co.uk/ or my facebook page from the link here. And the funny thing is that I was able to leap forward again with my work, once I'd fixed the earlier one! Complete honesty is what I think the message is here; honesty and courage to leap!

Thursday 2 September 2010

New Inspiration


A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend one of Glenfinnan House Hotel's more legendary Thursday night sessions (ceilidhs)! Someone at the pub counted musicians, and there were, I believe , at least 14! Part of the excitement was the fact that half of these were members of the Blazin Fiddles band, but I won't drop names here! The music was incredible, the craik brilliant, and while I left before most (as usual), I managed to capture some great images of the night! Looking at them the next day on my computer (I STILL prefer film guys!), I was inspired again; and picked up my brushes and began a week of intense painting. Ahhh, inspiration! The result is now added to my website - so go along there and enjoy the new work, mingled in with the older work!