September Updates
New name, new art, and new challenges
Well, it is September and I have lots to share with you!
To begin with a bit of housekeeping, the title of this newsletter has changed: it is now ‘Notes from Riv’s Studio’.
I recently completed an art project where I:
Painted a piece every day for a week, using the previous painting as inspiration – noting a color or texture or mood in the previous piece, and going from there.
The end result was a seven piece series capturing the emotions and energies of the week.
Below are images of the first and last paintings; if you wish to see the whole series and hear me talk a bit more about each piece, I shared more on Patreon.
I have also been dealing with a sudden injury, and subsequent (less severe) injuries, causing a tremendous increase in pain and decrease in energy and mobility.
I am approaching this difficulty as best as I can, taking it day by day, and listening to my body.
This also presents a new challenge for painting (while I appreciate the value of versatility and flexibility as it pertains to my approach to painting, I also would be just as happy if I wasn’t forced to suddenly come up with a new technique to accommodate pain and immobility).
This has been a season of stepping back, taking stock of my resources and energy, resting, and regrouping.
The combination of slowing down while also showing up consistently to the canvas means that my art can evolve and improve without feeling rushed or pressured.
At some point, pressure is inevitable.
But I want to have a solid foundation both of my work itself (as in body of work), and work ethic.
Slowing down and showing up allows me to learn what I need, and what I need to do, in order to develop my own best approach.
If I live long enough to see my work evolve over time – 10, 15, or even 30 years – I want to be as intentional and effective as possible in how I show up.
Happy Fall!
~ Riv