The key word is ‘rolling‘, as much of the latest news to share has come by way of a rolling completion.
First off, the rolling completion of a new painting entitled ‘Dawn in the North‘.
Originally commissioned by a foundation to commemorate Black History Month in Canada, the painting was abandoned when said foundation change their plans. The original idea was for me to complete the painting in a 24hr period. Upon the painting’s completion, I was unhappy with the finished product, as I felt that I did not have enough time to properly paint what I had envisioned. Once again, my hands were unable to keep up with my brain… OR I was overly ambitious about how much I could truly paint in such a timespan.
Over the next two years, the painting went from being stored away to being set up on an easel, where I would occasionally chip away at working on it so as to bring it to a more satisfying completion. However, even when bringing it to completion, I still found myself staring at it while pacing around. Yes, I had finished the painting and even signed it but something felt off. Was it the voice of perfectionism? Imposter syndrome? My bad habit of tinkering? I decided to just give myself some time to just silence that voice and convince myself that what I had completed was indeed a work to be happy with. Nonetheless all I could feel was content, a feeling I dread when it comes to painting. In the end, I succumbed to the voice and went back to reworking the painting despite yet another voice now saying: “Don’t. Put the paintbrush down!”
In defiance, I toned down how stylized the girl’s appearance was, making her look less like a caricature, and all of a sudden it clicked. The painting was finished yet again but this time the voices were all silent. Most of all, I was happy with the piece and felt at peace. Are there things within the painting that I notice and could still work on? Absolutely, but not at the cost of having to work on the piece for an eternity. I will always have room for technical improvement, but when the visual expression synchs with the creative expression, I am truly able to carry on in zen.
Next off, the rolling release of my online shop continues with the launch of the store directly on Instragram and Facebook.
The ‘Awake’ t-shirt modeled below is also available at Global Atomic Designs in Yaletown, Vancouver. Photo by Tina Rensby.
K, back to work!
