Tag: 30/30 painting challenge

September is 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Welcome to September, friends! I am back and busy, painting new work in my usual twenty minute segments of time to stay alive in the process and keep Mr. Resistance away. Enter the 30/30 Challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta on her blog. (Do go take a look at all the artists signed up. It’s over 700!)

I am ready! Process!

Amorgos Boats, 8x10 Acrylic ©2014 Dora Sislian Themelis
Amorgos Boats, 8×10 Acrylic ©2014 Dora Sislian Themelis

Acrylic paint has never been something I wanted to bother with being primarily an oil painter.

I had a set of colors I thought maybe it was time to put them to the test. Other artists I know love them. I wasn’t so sure I would.

This first work for the 30/30 Challenge was done in twenty minutes with a fairly large brush and a small 8×10 stretched canvas. It’s a scene I’d already painted in watercolors.

My goal was to see how I liked using the acrylics, and if my painting style and techniques would be different.

Honestly, I don’t think the style is very different than my watercolor painting.  I worked a little faster because these paints allowed some mixing on the canvas and I used the large brush.

Let’s say I’m not in love. The work got done, so that’s a plus.

 

The Question of Resistance

When the Muses are in a good mood, ideas come easily and the work just flows from the brain to the brush. The only thing in the way of that synchronicity is me. Getting in the studio to do that actual work, and have that wonderful flow, is the answer.

However, the question is Resistance.

There, I’ve said it once again, out loud so Mr. Resistance can hear it.

Red Lady Hydrdangeas @2013 Dora Sislian Themelis, 7x9 Watercolor, #3 30 in 30 Challenge
Red Lady Hydrdangeas @2013 Dora Sislian Themelis, 7×9 Watercolor, #3 30 in 30 Challenge

Inching my way in this 30 in 30 Challenge, as I said before, is a challenge. It’s tedious. It’s tiresome.

It’s even ridiculous that this is becoming a chore.

Enter Mr. Steven Pressfield once again to save my day! I am back to reading his book The War of Art. And somehow, with surprising timeliness, I received his newest book from his lovely publicist in the mail. It’s just what I need right at this moment.

I’ll tell you about it next post. I promise.

The Challenge is the Challenge

Wildflower Bed, 7x9 Watercolor @2013 Dora Sislian Themelis
Wildflower Bed, 7×9 Watercolor @2013 Dora Sislian Themelis

Challenges, being what they may, are quite possibly not my bag, as it seems. In my very heart of hearts I thought I could be one of those people who thrive on just such a thing. You know, those special kind of individuals who need to one-up the next guy, break out of the pack, be numero uno, go for the gold!

It’s an admirable quality, I thought, one which I might try to muster up inside myself to push harder to achieve some artistic movement toward an end.

Hello. It’s just not happening over here. Not happening.

The 30 in 30 Challenge I signed up for is not living up to my very lofty expectations. Ahem.

Might I say, without any anxiety on my part, that this is Day 16 in the challenge and the most I’ve painted is…SIX!

And you can ask me if I care. I don’t care at all. The thing is this-I should care! I signed up! I added my blog, my name, and one painting, and I should really care how it looks to the crowd of artists who number over 400 in this event and are fully participating. But I don’t feel any remorse at all.

I look at it this way:

  1. The idea of the challenge piqued my interest
  2. The challenge pushed me to get back to painting
  3. I started seeing my surroundings in my dreamlike/artist way again

I win anyway.

Turning Another Leaf

The hiatus being finally over, I have taken up another challenge. This time it’s the 30 in 30 Challenge, that is 30 paintings in 30 days, the inspiration of Leslie Saeta over on her blog Slices of Life.

I know, it’s been some time since I’ve been here, and yes there was all sorts of things going on. Plenty of distractions for me to lose myself in.

You will hear about it in due time, my friends. In due time.

Until then I will leave you with my first entry in this latest painting foray. Needless to say I am already late with the goods.

Whatever.

Foliage ©2013 Dora Sislian Themelis #1 in the 30/30 Challenge
Foliage ©2013 Dora Sislian Themelis
#1 in the 30/30 Challenge