‘Wild Stillness’ Evolving

I have been updating people who expressed an interest in this painting via photo’s on Facebook. However, I thought I would put all of the photo’s on here in a post to show the progression.

This is the biggest canvas I have done in the Intuitive painting style. It’s a 30 x 30 inch canvas which was great to stretch out some brush strokes on. I think I just want to paint bigger and bigger now! So sitting down on my studio floor, music playing, I set the intention for the painting ie. emitting some good vibes from within… a kind of blessing of sorts for a painting that would shine and give the viewer joy. I threw around some teal, magenta and violet acrylics. I loved the way the colours merged, softened and came together to form new shades. A couple of flowers revealed themselves onto the canvas and then I wasn’t really sure if I wanted them there. I wanted to keep exploring with these colours and I didn’t want any forms to get in the way just yet. Also, a peacock in the bottom right hand corner appeared and didn’t really fit in with the impressionistic feel of the rest of the painting. I did like the tonal shifts and colour blends however.

Here is what emerged intitally…

I loved the freshness of it and the tonal shifts. However, the peacock had to go!

I kept working the canvas…

After posting this pic up on Facebook, the overall consensus was that it looked too busy and had lost some of the depth, colour contrast and tonal warmth it had initially. I tended to agree. I debated whether  I had not recognized when I had over painted the canvas and that I should of just left it how it was. However, the whole thing about intuitive painting is having fun, laying down lots of layers and exploring. In that first pic, I had only painted the first layer.

After rotating the canvas, a bird or two emerged.

I was talking to someone on the phone after I had just posted this pic up on to Facebook. Studying it, a female form jumped out at me and provided the next direction of the painting. At this point the name of the painting changed from ‘Teal Surprise’ to ‘Wild Stillness’.

Why ‘Wild Stillness’? Intuitive painting is a style that allows the artist to share their soul, their very being, on to the canvas. The colours chosen, the brushstrokes played out, reflect the artists mood. The images and content of the painting that are first visualized by the artist are brought into being from their experiences and observations in life. The overall feeling and tone of the painting is delivered based on their outlook on life in general and in each given moment. Every painting is an expression of life given to canvas to be observed, interpreted and felt by the viewer. ‘Wild Stillness’ came to mind because of the female form that emerged and the birds surrounding her. Or perhaps this is what I already had inside me needing to come out and be painted…and then I gave name to it? Either way, it is a celebration of fertility, the nurture, the love and the strength that women emit from their very being. It is a oneness that we women all share, even if on the surface and at a conscious level, we sometimes feel separate.

This is how ‘Wild Stillness looks right now. The woman’s hair is yet to be completed and I am debating painting over her chest after my teenage son quickly observed and pointed out three breasts! Also, the colours need to be a bit brighter to create a bit more contrast and make the painting pop and some more tonal variation added. I really had fun painting this last night. I popped Florence and the Machines on to play and did some pretty serious, grounded and free bopping!

Will keep you posted!

x Tanya