Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Dare to Dream...

Throughout my life I have been...  forever it seems been called a day dreamer... or worse a "Romantic". I have never denied those claims... nor have I ever felt the need to defend my passion for both. What would life become... without Romance... Dreams or Passion? I could not bear to live out a single day of my own life unable to pursue life using these creative and joyous tools. With them... there is always the possibility of growth... and the opportunity to learn more of life's secrets.

A few days ago I came across a painting that I had made in March of 2012... and mused at the fact that ground was completely bare of snow cover and I distinctly remembered that the day was warm and spring like. My friend David Kay and I were painting off road in the bush and I was looking for a subject to capture my interest. I distinctly remember wishing I were in a sugar bush... where at this time of year there are numerous subjects and plenty of action. I settled into a painting of a rather ragged and lichen covered ash to satisfy my need for painting... but came away totally disappointed with the end result. My heart simply wasn't in it... and the painting showed that fact.

I sat with my coffee and stared into the structure of the painting and tried to work backwards using my brushwork to perhaps understand where the painting fell apart... but the cobwebs created by time obscured that fact. However... I did notice two areas that drew my attention. I could make out an area that looked like the peak of a shed to the upper right and an area to the left that looked a bit like horse heads. Remembering my wish on site to be in a sugar bush... I decided to play with the painting using that notion. What resulted came totally out of a day dream and play process. That "Nothing to lose... just use your imagination " approach led to this painting.

I'll leave you to decide for yourself whether the activity was successful. I totally enjoyed the three one hour sessions resulting from this exploration and am not looking at the original dull reminder of my earlier struggle and failure.

Taking time out from the real world to simply play... as a child would sometimes is a refreshing and uplifting experience to lift one from the doldrums.

Dare to Dream! Play... and enjoy the process. Be brave!... Own it... Not the other way around!

Good Painting... to All !!


"Woodland Broadloom" - a plein air oil on canvas 20x16 inches


Charcoal mapping of unintentionally created areas that aroused my attention within the framework of the original painting. Check back and forth with upper original to see the "ghosted" impressions concealed... well... in my unbridled imagination at least! HA HA!!


 Here they are... amplified by a limited palette lay in using three primaries and white.


Tonal play with my regular split palette felt ever so much mopre comfortable... adding more attention gradually to the "new" maple and buckets... the horse team and the sugar shed to the rear. Already, there exists a greater depth of field in the painting and I think... more visual interest and colour.
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More detail is added across the entire picture plane... while at the same time centring and maintaining my original attention to the foreground tree and pail focus. The shadows in the foreground shout out and are distracting. Light and colour have to be adjusted in the next pass.


                                  "The Canadian Bucket Brigade" - oil on canvas 20x16 inches

10 comments:

  1. Wow, Bruce! you really rejuvenated this one!! :) Keep the sap (paint) flowing!
    Life would be pretty bland without dreams to reach for.

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  2. Yes! I love it! I can't believe that this is the same painting... Both are great paintings, however I love the second. The tree seemed to be the centre of interest in the first, whereas the eye now looks beyond to see the real reason for being "there."

    Lovely!

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  3. Thanks Dean... for your visit and compliments! Actually... the painting rejuvenated me ... as much as I rejuvenated it! I came away from the experience refreshed... and with an added.. "Spring" in my step! HA HA!!!

    A life well lived... is a circle of dreams fulfilled. I feel deeply blessed in this regard.

    The sap is not flowing in the bushes yet... still unfavourable weather. Most local producers that I have been in touch with have yet to even tap. The snow is above the knee with a deep crust of ice... not easy slogging! Fingers crossed!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  4. Hi there Wendy!... Thanks for visiting... and for your enthusiastic response to the painting!

    You are absolutely right about the foreground and background working together to create a narrative of sorts. While the painting reflects traditional methods for tapping and collectring the sap to be boiled... it truly translates my true and ongoing respect for those that carried on this largely Canadian tradition. I hope that my paintings further record their lives and values for future Canadians to appreciate. These rustic relics from our pioneer past are too quickly disappearing.

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  5. Now that is how you rework a painting, Bruce. It is just stunning!!

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  6. Thank you Sherry... for the visit and uplifting comment!

    Happy Spring to "You"... in whatever form it has chosen to manifest itself to you in your part of the country! Here on the River. large pans of ice are ferrying past... ridden by our resident bald eagles and crows. I heard the voice of my first red wing blacklbird and have seen robins. Our resident chipmunks are a-frollicking and the purple finches have returned to our feeder.

    Spring is in the air!

    Happy Spring Sherry!... and Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  7. Hi Bruce, what a transformation from the original, and what an improvement. The tree was so dominant before that it took away any sense of depth. Now the sugar shed provides some background interest to draw the eye. The buckets break up that dominant vertical division as well. Isn't it fun to revisit old paintings and try to make something out of them?

    All the best,
    Keith

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  8. Good morning Keith!... Happy Spring! Thanks for visiting and your thoughtful and encouraging observations and comments!

    I have little to add to your astute critique. Your description perfectly encapsulates what I tried to achieve by reworking the painting... and for the very reasons you mentioned. It was all about space and visual interest. I feel good about the result.

    On to the next challenge!... Stay tuned!

    Good Painting!
    warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  9. You added your magic to the painting and brought it to life! I liked the solitary tree but felt it needed some color in the back ground to cheer it up, you certainly did that Bruce!

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  10. Dare to Dream!... Like sighting a robin... it will help you... Cheer-up! Cheer-up!... and will offer a whole new positive lease on life! A "resurrection"... of sorts! HA HA!!!

    Thanks for dropping by and for offering your dose of spring tonic! Greatly appreciated Lass!

    Good Painting!... and Happy Spring to you!
    Warmest regards, Bruce

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