A Year of Making Art: Day 87

July 15, 2007  Day 87

I was paralyzed for most of yesterday afternoon and evening.  I tried to read a book, Later at the Bar by Rebecca Barry, but could not get into the stories.  Judging from the reviews I had read, I thought this would be a fun read, but all I felt during the process was more irritated that I'd spent money on it.  Don't judge this book by my review, however, as I doubt there was anything that would have pleased me yesterday.

This morning I started to have an inkling about what was going on.  I am worried about everything because a) I take myself too seriously, and b) I demand perfection.  I think it's time to reread the Zanders' book The Art of Possibility and learn its valuable lessons again.

My drawing this morning is a bit too colorful, perhaps, but I wanted to make something light and free and fun.  Not easy to do when you're down on yourself.

  Drawing #88  14" x 11"

I started listening to Don McLean's cd, American Pie, which was a little bit of a disappointment.  I like it, but not enough to listen to over and over.  Part of the reason I bought it was for the song Starry Starry Night about Vincent Van Gogh, but now I remember that the haunting version I had loved years ago was sung by a woman.  Anyone know who that was?

After I finished drawing, I tackled the problem canvas again.  I thought I would make some big changes in it, give myself a fresh take, but I seemed to compulsively rework what had already been started.  It was as if the image had a life of its own that refused to die.  And so, at the end of this painting session, here is where it's at:

  Canvas 12  40" x 40"

(Note:  There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting because I had to give myself time to get ahead in case we travel and I'm not able to post.)