Friday 31 August 2012

When will I know...


...when I am good enough?

I am going through a frenzy of painting over old canvases. Not much is safe and paintings I once adored are rapidly disappearing under a thick blanket of gesso as I wonder how I ever thought they were worth hanging on a wall.

Will the pieces I created fresh this week meet the same fate this time next year? Will I ever be satisfied?

Mind you, didn't many of the great Masters do the same thing? Aren't there instances of restorers finding older paintings hiding underneath those prized today? I wonder what lies beneath the Mona Lisa? I think it might be something saucy - which possibly accounts for that enigmatic expression she's been wearing for the last five centuries or so.

Maybe one day the experts will apply the digital thermal x-ray techno wotsits and see the large eye that resides beneath this mermaid. I'm pretty certain there's something else below that one too!

If you own a masterpiece and another is found underneath, does that make it twice as valuable? Imagine rubbing off Venus because you preferred the 'still life with old shoe' underneath! I wonder if there is a law against such things?

I am starting to talk nonsense now! You should really read yesterday's post where my philosophising was of a more intellectual nature - and I won't be painting over the art I share there either anytime soon (particularly as I no longer own it)!

It seems appropriate that this piece I am sharing for Paint Party Friday this week is very much a work in progress and, given the number of paintings underneath her, I assume she will remain so for many years to come!

Tune in next week for the next version!

Postscript: Carol just left me a comment mentioning the male figure behind the siren. Well, I thought for a moment she was seeing things, for I never painted a male figure. But then I looked again... and what do you know... there he is! How spooky is that?!! Thanks Carol. Namaste!

32 comments:

  1. I think your work is beautiful...you are already good enough! I have been known to paint over older canvasses too. I think lots of artists do this. I believe it's not so much that the art isn't good any more but rather, that we are continually growing as artists so we constantly see things in a new light. Creativity is not static...it's always on the move in each of us. :)

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  2. I'm sure the piece underneath was probably just as beautiful as this one. Though I wish I could just paint over some of my watercolours too. Happy PPF. :-)

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  3. I love painting over old canvases as only I know what lies underneath them and this gives me a perverse type of pleasure as often they are rubbish.......lol Loving your repurpose canvas. Happy PPF and enjoy the weekend, Annette x

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  4. You are brave! I rarely paint over my old stuff. Basically because I like seeing how far I've come from then but then again I don't have many old paintings anymore. :) Mermie is looking fine! :)

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  5. It fits in nicely with the secret history comment from yesterday which I loved... have been thinking about that all day today...xx

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  6. I think her "history" glows through. She looks as if she has secrets. I think you are quite brave! Happy PPF

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  7. Fantastic painting over your old one. you ask by yourself if you are good enogh. believe me you are so good, your paintings are so beautiful.
    Lovely greet
    marja
    (marjascreativity)

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  8. GREAT questions- I love thinking like this. And I too, have painted over many, MANY of my canvases. I think it's just something we artists do ;)
    Oh and rest assured that your painting from yesterday will NEVER be painted over- I can't wait for it to come home to me; what a treasure! In fact, I think I'll print your post from yesterday and attach it to the back......

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  9. I am sure that the work underneath was every bit as good as what you've painted over the top of it. I've painted over a couple of paintings but only because I wasn't happy with them while they were still works in progress and I've 'upcycled' shop bought canvasses by painting my own art over the top of them - does that count. Today's cow used to be a photograph of a big flower that my husband rescued from a boot sale!

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  10. You are more than good enough already, and surely finding that we don't like something we did last year is a sign of our artistic growth. I love this new mysterious lady. And it's always a lot of fun being brave enough to paint over, And like you I find it therapeutic.

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  11. She is beautiful and the male figure behind her is intriquing ~ Wonderful! ~ We all have those days ~ tell the 'self critic' to go sit in a chair and just create ~ (A Creative Harbor)

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  12. You are brave indeed! I imagine that you have improved over the years and what once was "wonderful" to you is not what you are capable of now. I feel the same way, but I'm not painting over the old since my un-artistic relatives like them and want them when I give them up (or die). This painting of yours here is so beautiful. I love the dark colors in it.

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  13. I suppose it's part of growing as an artist.
    I recycle stuff from time to time, when it no longer appeals to me, but I have one or two pieces that i keep stashed away and take out from time to time to remind me how far I've come.

    Really like this one, very striking.

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  14. You may not have meant to paint a man as well, but having Carol point this out, I can see him...really cool. Love the painting anyway, but that just adds to the mystery of the piece.

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  15. Soulful eyes! I think it adds to a painting to have another one below it- a secret that only the artist knows about.

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  16. The many layers only adds to the mystery. I think she is wonderful. I have one board that has like five paintings under it. I think its part of our growth as artists that we just keep moving forward. Beautiful work. Happy PPF

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  17. Oh painting over or sticking over is my best work. Somehow these always sell best too!!!! You keep on art is never finished just at a certain stage. :-) Joan

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  18. Lovely blue portrait!
    You are enough! :)
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  19. Wow! I had to pop back up to the top to see this male for myself, having missed it completely at my first glance... how did I miss that the first time around... he is so clear at second glance! Now, let's get philosophical about that...
    hugs,
    Beth P

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  20. I've done that before many times, but I always took a picture of the first painting before I painted over it. Love the blue portrait, it's wonderful.

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  21. I had one painting last year that sold just as I was about to paint over it.

    Of course, I don't want to be one of those people who has 500 painted canvases stacked in a closet somewhere...

    Oh, and BTW, you are good enough...right now. You're the only one who doesn't know--your work is good enough for everyone except (maybe) you...

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  22. I do that as well, some paintings recently I have relooked at and wondered how I ever thought they were finished!! I love this reworked piece. I also see a face outline behind the main face in the background. A mouth and eye...like a shadow over her shoulder...or maybe I am tired and seeing things!! :)

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  23. I find her fabulous.. and I also see a mouth and an eye over her shoulder.. no matter if its reworked or not.. it's great !

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  24. painting over canvases is the best. Nice work here! very expressive

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  25. Beautiful piece! You are good enough today and tomorrow you will be better! :)

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  26. I love this painting and I love the idea of a secret painting underneath, but I am not brave enough to paint over any of mine, even though I will never do anything but store them in my studio!
    x

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  27. I saw the figure next to her right away, especially the mouth is visible. And it makes the painting really special I think, looks a bit like she's whispering in her ear.

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  28. I saw the other face, too, and thought it was just a preliminary sketch placement of the girl....oooo, eerie that it just showed up like that!

    I paint over stuff, too.....I think it needs to satisfy us first, or it just isn't worth keeping :)

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  29. this is soo inspiring..I love your work.its horrific and at the same time its enchantingly beautiful.I LOVE it! It really reminds me of a book I once read called Deep and Dark and Dangerous!

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  30. Oh wow, the male face is crazy cool. What a neat accident. I think he was meant to be! gorgeous painting, and yes, layers and layers underneath. So many stories!

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  31. I love your new masterpiece-in-progress, Lisa. The depth and mood you captured are really great. I sometimes paint over old pieces that I have become dissatisfied with, for various reasons, and almost inevitably the final painting knocks it out of the park for me. So, I have decided that all those layers and paintings underneath are actually a integral part of my "masterpiece." Occasionally, it even takes me 3 paintings to find the real painting within, but I've decided I'm okay with that. Well, that's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it!

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  32. How funny, a siren under the Mona Lisa, wow, love your imagination. I never like what I do either, but everyone else seems to, so. . . . This is a masterpiece in and of itself, looking forward to seeing more. Yep, there is someone beside her, a ghost perhaps. . . with your imagination, I can believe there is a story to tell. . . . go for it. Blessings, Janet PPF

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Thank you for your comments - I always love to hear what you think :)

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