Blue girl“The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an invention, a discovery is of little worth.” ~Ezra Pound

(For Throwback Thursday, I look to one of my early posts as a blogger published in September 2015.  By looking back, I can see that I have evolved in my portrait work. See the big head and thin neck on the left? I obviously didn't think there was a problem when I first published this portrait. And that's ok. We all have to start somewhere, right? This portrait gives me an idea for a future post.)

 

 

Everything is a beginning...including this post!

I am somewhat reassured by Ezra Pound's words. It seems I have been beginning a lot lately. Inventing and discovering, yes, that too. I have been asking myself the question what if? many times.

The end result sometimes works but often doesn't. It's a process isn't it? And if the end result is not quite what I anticipated, I was having so much fun trying this and that in my sketchbook or on canvas that the final product is of little importance. At least for now.

I am still on holidays but I prepared this post before leaving for Philadelphia, or to be more precise, New Jersey. By the time you read this, I will have been to the shore and visited the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, the Philadelphia Magic Gardens, and possibly Chanticleer in Wayne, Pennsylvania. So many possibilities....so little time. I know I will come home inspired by everything I have seen.

Beginnings and art challenges

September is definitely a time for a new beginning and there are online art challenges to prove this point. For example, for those of us who like to draw faces, there is the "29 faces in September" challenge by Ayala Art. It will be a challenge to find the time to draw 29 faces with a one-week trip away from home, an upcoming race weekend, and the garden produce to put away for winter.

For the girl in the first sketch above, I used black and white and three other coloured Prismacolor pencils. But I am already falling behind. No surprise.

For those artists who can draw and paint much more frequently, the "100 faces challenge" is another great place to post portraits. All challenges are on Facebook as well as Instagram.

Admittedly, it is a way to remain motivated to draw faces regularly. I like seeing all the various techniques artists use to sketch and paint. And for those of us who like things in small packages, there is "#alittleart" on Instagram. Art work must be within 2.5 inches (see? very small!) in width while the height is undetermined.

First mini canvas

The girl with her dog, on the right, is my one and only submission so far to the miniature art challenge. She is my first mini canvas and my first acrylic portrait.

If this is the kind of thing that motivates you, find a challenge and start posting your work.

So far, I have found all the artists participating in these challenges very supportive.

Any beginning is good!

How has your art (whatever you do creatively) evolved over time?  Have you moved in a different direction?  What motivates you? If you blog, leave a link to your blog!

(Leave a comment in the LEAVE A REPLY box below in January 2019 and your name will be entered to win a print.)

Header photo by rawpixel at unsplash.

5 Responses

  • I find the eyes and face are so beautiful. You have growned but its a lovely piece. She seems a little sad.

    • She is sad because she has a BIG head and a small neck. I would imagine that would give her a massive headache! LOL!

      Merci Thérèse. En faisant un retour sur mes oeuvres de début, je constate bien des défauts mais, on continue quand même…À bientôt j’espère! Dans quelques jours, on sera au Mexique.

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