This piece is my recent favorite. I think because I experimented with some different color combinations and in the end it came out quite different than when I started. I didn’t totally love it and then…wham! It worked out. That’s always a good feeling.
Here’s the first pass through–just a simple throw on of some paint. I just try to get the brush moving and forget about expectations; letting go is so important in this first phase. I try to follow the flow and have fun.
I had sketched out a few objects that kind of called to me in the moment–a lotus-type flower, a feather and wheel-like objects. Can you see them? I’m not sure where the inspiration came from for those particular things, I just try to go with what feels good. It’s like my subconscious is talking to me through my brush.
As I keep layering colors, it warms up the original palette. It’s a good reminder that things evolve and change as we go.
The girl was added during this next phase. I was trying to resist the urge to overdo the background with colors, so I forced myself to stop; I wanted to focus more on the feel and warmth of the piece.
As you can see, I changed her dress a little. Hello collage! I didn’t love the sash, so I tried something else. I’m always open to changing + moving + switching it up so that I don’t get too rigid in my ways. It’s easy to get attached early in the process, but I find when I do that, it jams me up creatively.
The softness of her eyes inspired the sentiment for me. I just think it’s so important to be reminded: we all need to be kind, especially to ourselves.
I added in some accents: feathers in her hair, flowers and a little stamping.
I love how she turned out! I may add some small collage pieces around the border and accents to her hair, but I’m going to live with it like this for a bit. In the meantime, I’m going to hang her up and listen to her sweet wisdom.
Prints now available in the shop.
