Monday, February 27, 2012

pressure

9x9 pastel and watercolor
Before a solo show there is always a breakdown (at least for me.) This time it comes around the postcard image. I am frantic. Not one painting is remotely good enough nor does anything say what I want to say. I am normally a good-natured, optimistic person, but this brings me to a puddle of mess on the kitchen floor.  Arghhhhh! Is this the same for everyone?
I try to tell myself,"this too will pass, go back to the studio."

On another note, on Friday I was at the river painting. There was a tumultuous sky. At any given moment it could be sun or drenching rain. This was the moment of hope (a little piece I needed.) I walked home in the drizzle. I turned my board upside-down to protect it. When I arrived home it looked like this-
Uninteresting. Some working on it made the top image. Sorry can't write more. Have to work in the studio.
PS Thank you to all the folks who contacted me about the summer workshop. News soon....

7 comments:

Donna T said...

Oh my goodness Loriann, "not one painting is remotely good enough"? That must be your nerves talking. Ignore your nerves - your paintings are beautiful. Not only that, they express moods that we can all relate to. Your show will be awesome!

Caroline Simmill said...

Don't worry Loriann just choose paintings that mean something to you, or the message you want to share in an exhibition for example 'a journey into the light'. Just enjoy the experience. I always go into an exhibition thinking I won't sell anything but am often happily surprised. Have you tried sitting down and writing about the paintings you are putting into the exhibition or finding poetry or passages from a book that discribe your work. I am typing away extracts from marshland scenes from the book, not the film which is nothing like the beauty and subtleness of the book, 'the woman in black'. There are some lovely writings which discribe the light over the wetlands. Keeps me occupied as you can imagine!

SamArtDog said...

Take a deep breath.
Remember quietude.

loriann signori said...

Oh dear Donna...I wish i could ignore that crazed feeling. Egad. Thanks for your support!

Hi Caroline,
Good suggestions, thank you.I appreciate your support!

Hi Sam...oh that's right quietude. It's amazing the amount of strife and hair pulling goes into quietude. hmmmm. breathe. I will try that. thanks for your support!

Marilyn R Miller said...

Sounds familiar.... I once had a nightmmare that I went to the gallery to check out how all the paintings looked ahead of the opening. They brought out one painting and told me that was all that I had sent them.... Another time, I was so nnervous I could not comb my hair and was an hour late to the opening and, unfortunately, that was reality...silly, but real. Deep breathing does help.
All will be wonderful.
Your paintings are each jewels which communicate beautifully! and inspire!

loriann signori said...

Hi Marilyn,
It's good to hear another's horror stories. This always happens to me. A different horror each time.Thanks for your kind words.Now I will go to yoga to take my mind off it for a little while.
thanks-Loriann

Jala Pfaff said...

I understand that feeling. We want so much for just one image to somehow communicate everything we are about as artists. But it can't. It can communicate a lot, but not everything. I think it's best to realize that and go ahead and choose one anyway, knowing it will say a great deal.