Looking at things and feeling good about them
Looking at things and feeling good about them III, oil on canvas, 153x153cm, 2015.
In the early ’20s and ’30s of the last century, women were not allowed to go to the beach with short sleeves or with the too-short bottom of the swimsuit. They could get a fine for inappropriate dress.
They even had a patrol on the beach who measured the length of the dress with a tape measure. A lot has changed since then, but we still have a lot to improve in other areas. Today’s video is about a series of paintings based on this subject.
You will enjoy it.
Looking at Things…
As always, I was looking for new inspirations online, and back in 2015, I came across the online article about rules for women going to the beach in the early ’20s and ’30s. They had a particular dress code, and if they did not follow the rules, they got a ticket and were asked to leave the place.
The article came with pictures, and they were interesting because women on these photos were looking down at their legs, checking if the length on the swimsuit is long enough. The images became a reference point for my paintings.
It shows that you do not need to look far for inspiration. It can be around the corner. If you feel stuck with what next in your studio, then reading and going to exhibitions might help.
Secret of Looking at things.. based on photograph!
When I use a reference photograph, I intend to take only some elements of it and change it on canvas into something different. I want to invent on the canvas, and I don’t want to copy pictures on canvas, but my goal is to recreate it in a new way.
While I was painting it, I have been changing the work several times. Never satisfied. It is a painful process. I always want to make the present painting better than the previous one, but i also wish to innovate and test new things. Finding a balance between these two things seems to be essential and keeps me sane.
You can see the painting evolution. It began very rough and raw. When I brought the painting to the point that you may think it needs just one more step from being finished, I destroy it again with a new layer of paint or by removing paint with a cloth to allow myself to create something new to the surface.
It is the way I work.
It can be frustrating, as I get to the point where my art is going in a completely different direction.
I have to accept that and work with the present surface until I finish.
In some cases, I get to the point where I have to throw away the canvas and start a new painting on the new surface. And it is not an exception. This painting I remember I put away for a couple of days and worked on it again. I let my eyes rest from the chaos I see.
I puzzled the figure in the painting with the circles. Circles, as you can tell, are different colors and have a different texture. It is a pretty colorful and joyful painting, even if the woman on the picture is looking down. It gives the addition story to the canvas. I want to mention that each circle has a different pattern and contrasting texture.
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