Category: Resistance

Breaking Resistance Mode in Twenty Minutes

Peach at the Beach (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
7×10 Watercolor

The latest watercolor is finished. You can see how the colors change with the different lighting, but the feeling is the same. Sunny, breezy, comfortable day at the beach. Can you feel it?

The second photo was taken in the afternoon after I painted from my beach photo for twenty minutes. I took the top photo this morning which is more blue with early light, rather than the yellow of late day light. That’s what Monet was seeing when he painted his water lily garden and other scenes in all times of the day. Different time of day, different shadows, different color of light, different paintings of the same scene.

I wonder if Monet painted for only twenty minutes at a time. Makes sense if he did, because if he didn’t and painted on one work all day, the light would be different as the day passed and I know he has many works of the same scenes. I will have to look into it.

Anyway, I enjoy working quickly, when I do paint. Lately I’ve been in resistance mode and twenty minutes has been helping break that cycle quicker than usual.

As far as my subjects, I think it’s interesting to mix objects that would not normally live together in real life life fruit and sea shells. These were nice shells too. Great shapes and colors to keep it fresh.

If the momentum keeps up it will be a good thing. However, the weather here has turned cooler and it’s not conducive to beach going. Beach weather is on it’s way out, but memories of a great beach day will have to suffice.

Back in the Saddle Again

Peach Pebble Pepper (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
Watercolor 9×12 Lanaquarelle

So you see, a little moping around can sometimes lead to good things. Write it and it will come, sort of. I was out of it, but it pulled me back in. There’s only so long a slump can last. Mr. Resistance, I am rid of you for the time being.

Shhhhh. I don’t want him to hear me too loudly for fear he’ll show up and bother me again.

As I was saying. The veggie haul was “fruitful” and ended up being quite productive. I don’t know what it was that lured me to paint. The shapes of the produce, the colors, the combinations looking very interesting? What?

I felt bad I ate my still-life subject at the beach that day of the earthquake. Maybe that was it? The peaches in the veggie haul were really pretty. I don’t know, but I found myself reaching for the peach, then I grabbed an interesting looking pepper, and one of those pebbles I was painting a while ago.

After arranging these items in a way that felt good to me, I filled my water contained and started in on this. No pencil sketching, just drawing in the items in watercolor paint. I must admit that when I work this way I sometimes fail to place the painting in the center of the paper. I’ll fix that with a matte when the time comes.

For now I did it. A breakthrough, and the best part is I painted for only twenty minutes. Just enough time to get it together and back on track.

“Back in the saddle again,
Out where a friend is a friend.
Where the longhorn cattle feed, 
On the lowly gypsum weed,
Back in the saddle again.”
by Gene Autry, songwriter 

Doing Nothing with Mr. Resistance

What is it about time flying by that makes some of us want to just sit back and watch it? Just having that feeling to hang out, sit back, let the clock tick on without a care to do much of anything beyond the necessary is de rigour around here lately.

The to-do list grows faster than the grass in my yard. All I can do is watch and wait. The adage that says “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”? Not around here. My say is “when the going gets tough, do nothing”. Some people say “go shopping”. Me? I do nothing.

You can read all the books you want about fighting down resistance to creating and sometimes that nasty guy gets the better of us anyway. I know what to do but Mr. Resistance has me by my throat, that bum. I have many ideas running through my head and none of them appeal to me at the moment. The last painting I finished is sitting there waiting for me to free it from the watercolor block. I just don’t. And knitting? Blahh. Maybe jewelry? Ugh.

Something clicked on the off switch and I’m out. That beach day we had that earthquake I fully intended to paint. Just twenty minutes of work. The ball started rolling downhill after I realized I ate my still life painting subject! And it was a nice peach too. Then the hurricane happened and didn’t help things move along any better.

I spent today trying to make calls to repair people who are all tied up with hurricane damages of their current customers. My roof leak will have to wait. But while I do that, the sun is out and it’s still hot, the dryness of the air reminds me that August is at it’s end. Bummer.

I wouldn’t call it a full fledged blockage, just a minor hiccup in the creativity area. This might be the second hiccup though, so measures might have to be taken to keep Mr. Resistance busy while I sneak out the back door to hide.

Who’s with me?

Off on Tangents, but Painting Happened Nontheless

My day began with a bang. Not really a bang, but maybe there’s another word for it. I was minding my own business pouring my second cup of coffee on a nice, quiet morning. I reached for the half and half, yes I like half and half, and started to squeeze the carton. Let me explain, I get a carton and open the folded and sealed top to form a spout and then I close it up. If I squeeze the carton a nice small stream of milk comes out. Nice and neat.

Well SOMEBODY opened the carton for the spout, and I, unknowingly (not paying attention), pour it out all over my lap, my tablecloth, and my coffee. I started to think to myself that this may not be my day, and it was only 8A.M.

I went along my day. Farmer’s market, supermarket, bank, etc. Errands. I thought I might not get to paint, but I knew I had been losing my fight with Mr. Resistance and, bad day or not this was going to be it.
What do you know? I had run out of the large size watercolor paper I had been using.

 Now what? I really didn’t want to use the travel pad and my subject was going to be too big for the small Arches block. Great. I opened up the small block and now I see I need a spatula to get the protective paper off. I trudge to my basement studio, where the light still doesn’t work, and fetch the tool.

Now what? Phone call from The Mr. about some computer problem. I trudge back to the basement and the computer, flip it on and we discuss. Ok. I passed the kitchen and remembered I wanted to roast some peppers I had. So I go at that, almost forgetting my painting outside.

Then I think I should have painted these peppers, but now they’re all cut up. Bright idea: take photos, and add a shiny platter for contrast. That’ll show that book deal guy I can paint Greek themed stuff. Right.

I’m all finished with the peppers, put them in the oven after their photo shoot and remember I was supposed to be painting. I go back to the basement to get another watercolor block. While I’m running around my house I am thinking that I must be some crazy kind of idiot, going off on tangents, not getting anything done.

Finally, I get myself to my painting set-up and sketch out my idea. I wanted to paint from the photos of the sunflowers from the farm. I sketched out the subjects and started getting into it when I remember I had peppers roasting in the oven. Shades of my turkey debacle from a couple of weeks ago.

I run to my kitchen, remove the peppers that were not burned and returned to painting. Now can I get down to business? Yes, I did and I am happy to say it felt good.

Sunflowers Outside (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
12×16 Watercolor on Lanaquarelle paper

Me, Whimsical?

Having finished the dancers painting for the person interested in illustrations for their book,I emailed the image with fingers wimply crossed. Yes, I said wimp-ly. As in like a wimp. Should I have said sheepishly? Anyway, I was thinking it might not be to their liking with the “whimsy” word being tossed about.

Do I see my painting, or myself, as whimsical? I think not. My kids would say “Who, you? Uh, no.” Those are smart, observant guys, those kids of mine. Yeah.

I think watercolor work is light and airy by nature of the medium. Would I call my handling of the medium melancholy? So I lean toward Prussian blue and alizarin crimson, are they sad, depressing colors? Not in my opinion.

I paint what I see generally. With photos I see too much. From life there’s no time or room to see everything, which is what I like about painting from life. I am not sure it’s even possible to use watercolors to capture a crowd of people dancing unless in abstract forms or quick gestures. Maybe that would have been a better way to go, but I needed a reference, hence the photo.

What can you do? Can you please everyone? No.

I will continue to stay positive, or invite the unwanted advances of Mr. Resistance. I decided the operative word was “Yes”. I went with the flow. I tried my best with what I thought would be okay, and maybe not how I would have liked it to be.

After working from life going back to a photograph for guidance didn’t feel exactly right. Being true to myself and my own objectives may be more important in the long run. Book deal or no book deal.

Doing What I Can Do

Pen&Ink sketch (c)2011 DST

While I was waiting 20 minutes for a reaction, or none, after my shots at the allergist, I pulled out my little sketchpad and rapidograph and started sketching another patient across from where I sat. It was going really well until she got up and left. That left me with myself to sketch.

I have a confession to make: I haven’t painted at all this week. Can you tell? I know, fifty lashes with the wet noodle. Thinking too many things, bugged at some things, things I really can’t do anything about other than ruminate on the things. Things I do, don’t do, did, want to do, can’t do, not sure how to do, etcetera. So, I didn’t paint.

This week I must put aside all that resistance stuff and paint. I have a project I’ve been asked to do now and the thinking and planning has to happen. Negativity in all it’s forms, Mr. Resistance, the stalker (Hi!! I see you!), the weather, all must stop at the front door. I am going to be too busy to bother with all that.

What is Your Pencil?

Self Portrait in pen and ink (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis

With the excitement of the spring holidays dying down I was finally able to get back to reading some of the latest resistance beating books for artists. The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp is an easy read, if only I could sit and read it.

Still in the second chapter and I think I understand the ideas she’s trying to convey. Trying to make art-making a habit by finding the right switch to flip is a valid point. Some artists’ brains click on with certain actions or stimuli. Blasting rock music, lighting a candle, cleaning the studio might do the trick for some. I have yet to figure out what mine is.

Tharp suggests avoiding certain things as part of the creative ritual. Things like not multitasking, watching movies, adding up numbers (Right brain/left brain?), and playing background music. I guess these can be distractions to creativity. There are things that could keep me from painting for sure. I am easily distracted by a great number of things.

Living without some kind of distraction though is too monastic. I like a good distraction now and then. But keeping a comfortable environment helps. Clean, with loved items, surrounded by comfortable colors helps to keep my brain in my head.

Being prepared is the big one for me, and it seems, for most artists. That’s where the question came in: Where is your pencil? Better yet: What is your pencil?

What is your tool to keep creating? Figure that out and don’t be caught without it! Tharp relays a story of someone who, as a kid, wanted a famous person’s signature, but when asked for his pencil, didn’t have one. No tickey, no shirtey! After that this guy was never without a pencil. You just never know when you will need one.

“Pick your pencil and never leave home without it” says Tharp. Be prepared! Make something be a part of the ritual to create, whether it is a pencil and pad in my purse, or a camera in your pocket.

Ideas fly by my brain so much of the time. If and when I get a good one, and I’m not prepared- it’s bye bye. While I was waiting in the doctor’s office I whipped out my rapidograph and sketchpad to doodle my shoe.

I knew where my pencil was.

Keeping On

I’m still working on painting those 100 paintings. Thank goodness I joined the challenge otherwise I would find excuses not to paint. So, the idea to be accountable to someone or something else works.

It’s like when you are in school and expected to come to class prepared. The possibility of failure is up close and personal. Not so when you’re working on your own. Who’s going to grade me? No one, but myself. And I could give myself a pass instead of a fail.

Independent study might not be my forte. In my last year in college I had a painting class at which the professor did not hold regular hours. You had to paint on your own and attend one class a month. You can just imagine how that went. I was wasting time until I received the notice when class would meet and then Bam! I had to get on it.

I pulled out my 5ft roll of canvas, kicked it out on my basement floor and where it stopped I cut it and painted. At the time I was working in oils doing color studies using a limited palette of three colors. Abstract work, mixing the amounts of colors to see how many I could get from those three in a cloudy-like design.

Working all day and into the late night, I painted until I filled eight feet of canvas. Needless to say, my professor was impressed. After all, he told me to paint bigger! I knew I could do that, I just needed the time frame.

Pebble and Bits (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
9×12 Watercolor on Arches paper

All these years later I’m still the same person I was back then. I need to be accountable and have a time frame. I guess that’s why twenty minutes does the trick along with this challenge.

Progress in the Process

I have a busy Monday ahead of me today. And an even busier week to come, this being the lead up to Easter. I just can’t believe a year has passed and here I am in the middle of another Holy Week. Didn’t I just do this? Didn’t I just blog about this? Time just flies by.

The big question is this: Will I have any time for myself and painting? I seriously doubt it, but I will try to squeeze some work in. This time last year I don’t think I was using twenty minute increments of time to paint. I think I remember working on one piece for a while.

There’s nothing wrong with that either. However, since I found how productive I can be using twenty minutes to paint I’m not sure how/if I can go back. Maybe if I find something interesting to paint I may have to work on one piece twenty minutes at a time. That could work.

But this week is rough for me. Fasting, baking, cooking, evenings in church take up alot of time. I’m pooped already. Can I skip any of it? I don’t know if I can. I’m so used to going to church almost every night of this week. I’ll see how I feel.

Shell Bits and Pebble

I painted these shells once again, but this time I added that pebble. Moving the set-up around to see the other side this time, made the still life look different once more. It’s working for me so I’m not going to change it up and chance a bout with Mr. Resistance.

Then I happened to get a flash of motivation and quickly sketched the objects again before we headed out for dinner Saturday night. I moved the items around again, found a pleasing arrangement and  dropped in some color before we had to leave. Done.

I am definitely making progress with the process!