Creeping Incrementalism

“Creeping incrementalism” sounds like the frog in the frying pan. In the case of this Central California artist, it is the way I am currently approaching paintings. Maybe if I just paint in increments, telling myself along the way that I can just do a little and quit any time, then at least a bit of progress will happen.

Whattsa matta??

Sometimes I don’t want to paint. I’d rather be in the house knitting or in the studio drawing or in the yard raking leaves. If I approach work with the attitude of Just Do A Little For Now, then maybe I’ll get involved and forget that I don’t want to be there.

Why don’t I want to paint? This might be a question for a licensed therapist, or a life coach, or a sympathetic friend to figure out. Never mind for now. Let’s have a look at paintings that are improving in small creeping increments. (Creeping? Why this word??)

  • The Cabin Scene (shhhh, it is a surprise!) a commissioned oil painting

The sky has been retouched, the mountains and distant forests too. (The colors are a lot different due to the lighting on an overcast day.)
With a new photo of the cabin, even though the shutters were closed and there is snow on the ground, I was able to determine the placement of details.
  • The Citrus Row, which obviously needs a better name.

The background goes in first.
You can see that I am not locked in by the photo. And maybe you can see that maybe I should be locked in by the photo. Maybe just locked in. Or locked up?

Geraniums, because I like this

It has been so long since I began this that I forgot about the actual physical photos and instead was painting off my computer screen.

The power went out once, it was sort of too dark to see when it came back on, and I just started making things up. Prolly time to put away the brushes for the day, eh?

Today’s featured painting at Anne Lang’s Emporium (and these look much much better in person than on screen):

Sunny Sequoias #35, oil on wrapped canvas, 6×6″, $60

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