I'll be 74 this year and since retiring I have tried to keep stress out of my life - a little bit of stress can be a good think actually so my cardiologist says - I don't know if I believe him!!! However that said and I just said it - stress seems to enter ones life at a time when one is not feeling stress and all of a sudden BAM stress sneaks into your life and slaps you in the face!!! :>(
Painting can be very good for stress - depending on the amount of stress, I will create a painting that is very, very, very, very, (you get the idea) loose, semi abstract and painterly in style. I complete the painting very (3 dittos) quickly with little thought to color choice, composition or content. The object is to get the paint onto the painting surface as quickly and efficiently as is possible trying to stay to the GOOD side of SLOPPY!!! :>)
If the stress is large - I use a palette knife - (my buddy MAC the knife) if not so large I use big brushes and paint like a wild man!!! :>)
Stress crept up on me over the weekend so into the studio I went- CHARGE!!!!!!!
First I throw in the sky in a vertical format - why vertical???? A vertical orientation gives a painting strength and shows the artist was in command - perhaps not of his mind but certainly of his painting arm. Besides which I'm the artist - this is my blog so I can do what I want!!!! :>) This piece will have palm trees in it so I leave paint off of the areas where I think palm trees will go, as well as ground cover.
Next I throw in some palm trunks and fronds in a very loose manner not really caring as to their accuracy or shapes - after all this is to release stress!!!!!! :>)
Next I start to work in the ocean - again very quickly with sweeping strokes powered by gusto.
Now for some "general housekeeping" tweaks, lights, darks, movement in palm fronds and a tad in the ocean.
Ahhhhhhhh stress is gone and I feel much better.
JR :>)
