Have you ever noticed how some children go through an ugly stage? I've grown old enough now to watch others grow up and noticed how some people's children (not mine of course) looked downright homely, or ugly at some stages in their lives. But, as they grew up, they became quite beautiful. Just like the ugly duckling story, sometimes we just gotta give things time to work themselves out.
Paintings go through an ugly stage too, as you are building up the layers, a little at a time, until the whole thing begins to emerge. I have been working on a painting that was just giving me fits. I just couldn't get the water right, but, I kept working at it. I've noticed that new artists give up too soon. They don't realize that paintings go through stages of development. Although the beginning stages may look "ugly", they are necessary for the development of the painting. I'm still working on my "child", but, I think it is beginning to come together now. Here is a picture of my "child". It still has a ways to go, but, I have high hopes for it. It was birthed at church a few weeks ago, and I have been working on it now at home. I guess you could say that Church was the hospital where it was born, and now I am raising it at home. ha ha. See some of my other art that was "birthed" at church...
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I wanted to share an article that was really good, which I agree with wholeheartedly and is the motive behind my art. I have always felt that there are two types of approaches to the messages behind art, either positive, or negative. I choose to be positive, leaving hope, inspiration, and the challenge to make this world a better place.
Read on... The Better Way by Keith Bond I believe that we artists have a gift. I won’t go into the talent vs. discipline/hard work argument here (I believe it is a combination of both). And I’ll save that for another article. But suffice it to say that since I believe a good portion of it is an innate, God-given gift or talent, I also believe that there is a stewardship associated with that gift. We will be held accountable one day for how we used the gift of art. [...] Read the rest of this article at: http://faso.com/fineartviews/68951/the-better-way ---------------------------------------------- This excerpt appears courtesy of FineArtViews Art Marketing Newsletter by FASO, a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists, collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art). For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.faso.com/art-marketing-newsletter ----------------------------------------------- ANGEL DANCE By Nancy Cupp 16 X 20 Acrylic on canvas Sold Sometimes when I paint, it is nice to have my art verified by the highest authority. This happened unnexpectedly as I was painting in church on Aug. 18, 2013. (I paint during church services in the back of the sanctuary, where I don't distract from the service or call attention to myself while I'm painting. I've been painting in church almost a year now). One morning, I forgot to bring a new canvas with me and all I had was a canvas that I had already started a painting on. As I was looking at it, I noticed some things that were not working well and decided to paint over the whole thing and start over again. I had no idea what I was going to paint. I just began painting swirling strokes across the canvas, just to cover up the old painting. The church service started and I still didn't have a clue on what to paint. So I just continued making swirling strokes, hoping for an idea of what to actually paint. As I listened to the music, some of the words had to do with rejoicing and dancing before the Lord. That gave me the idea to paint a dancer worshipping through dance. My painting began taking on a life of it's own with the dancer beginning to look like it had wings. I decided to make it into a dancing angel. After the service was over, a man came by to see what I was painting and was shocked to realize that it was the same angel he had seen coming down from the ceiling and putting it's hand on the shoulder of the lady who was preaching that morning. (Our church was having a special day to honor the worship leader, a lady named Amanda, who was being ordained into the ministry that day. She preached during the morning services and then was ordained that evening). I have never seen angels or supernatural beings. I've been aware of their presence, but never seen any. I have some friends who have seen angels, but not me. I always thought I would be scared out of my bajeebies, if I ever saw one. Maybe that is why the Lord spared me the fright. The man who said he saw the angel descend and touch Amanda's shoulder said my painting looked just like the angel he saw, except for the colors. I think that is rather amazing that he actually saw a literal angel and I was painting one at the same time. Neither of us had met each other until after the service was over and he was led to stop by and look at my painting. I was painting in the back of the church, and he sat up front, so there is no way he could see what I was doing. He saw the angel that I was painting, even though I, the artist never saw a thing. I was just making swirling strokes to cover over another painting that I didn't like. It is kind of interesting that the painting that I was covering over, was an attempt to paint the Ark of the Covenant. Hmmmm. I wonder if that has any spiritual significance? |
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