Author Archives: Darla
Under the skin
Saw Santana in concert last night. What would it be like as a visual artist to be painting the same thing as one painted 30 years ago, like Carlos playing Oyez Como Va or Black Magic Woman over and over again because the listener gets transported to a pleasant moment back in time. Music can [...]
Is that the question?
To blog or not to blog about the creative process? That is the question, which leads to the deeper question: Should we worry about the reliance on words when it comes to creating fresh art? As both writer and painter, the act of putting my creative process into words is oftentimes quite helpful in solving [...]
I think I’ll work on eyes
Monet painted many subjects again and again, but every one of his series paintings is different, whether it’s a painting of a water lily or a hay stack. In 1890 Monet wrote a letter to an art critic about his hay stacks series, saying: “I’m hard at it, working stubbornly on a series of different [...]
On being the bridge
To paraphrase Longfellow: Max had stood on that bridge and gazed on that wave and sky…. And it was then he decided to be the bridge. And thus, like magic, Max was! Symbolic and metaphorical bridge phrases: Build a bridge and get over it. Never cross the bridge before you come to it. Bridging two [...]
July Post BD
Based off charcoal figure studies. Gentry with summertime hair, she says. Objective was work the yellow with blue, the feel of summertime. Figurative, impressionistic. Why am I feeling like I must categorize this piece? Art is not easily amenable to any definition. Usually, artworks are divided into either representational or abstract. Abstract to me is a portrayal–in [...]
Inhale, exhale
Having taken sanctuary in the shadows for the past few months, I have gotten alot of work done in the studio. I’ve been working alot on figures, some days just making a bunch of mistakes and ending up with some good work. Learning and working to deny that fearful perfection monster. So, I’m posting again [...]