Selling and Planning

[Artyczar]

My gallery sold these paintings recently, the above over the weekend to someone up in San Francisco. I'd been sketching a few similar pieces to paint like this lately, but haven't been able to make up my mind about them. They actually look more similar to the other one I sold in terms of background:

I have a few sloppy sketches--they are a bit embarrassing to post because they are so rough. One has a bunch of telephone wires all over the place (I may have already posted it, so), one has a house with a beat-up, bent bicycle near it, and another with an old Radio Flyer wagon (I won't post those two). Other than the telephone wires, I'm not feeling that strong about the others--not like I do these paintings.

You'd think the sales would boost my confidence, but they actually confuse me a little because I don't exactly want to repeat what sells. I had some other ideas: to mix together the desert landscape with more of an abstracted feel, but those scribbles began to disappoint me a bit. I like them, but I don't, but I do...then I don't. They look more like this:

The drawings posted may turn into my next two oil paintings. They will be small however--both are 16 x 20 inches. The second one will be on clayboard so it will turn out a lot rougher. For the first one, I have a gessoboard. I told myself I wouldn't buy anymore substraights ever again, but I did. I still like oil painting no matter what a sin it is to make more "junk" that takes up space. I truly feel guilty for it and would rather paint over old paintings, but for these I need a smooth, pristine surface to do what I want and sanding down my old crazy-thick paintings seem rather impossible, plus most of the rectangles are canvas, not hardboard.

Anyway. At least I'm planning something.

 

[snoball]

You definitely need to do something with the telephone wires, it is very "Arty".

 

[joe1It]

I find the first sketch wonderful.

 

[PSA3475]

All those wires remind me of many places I have traveled...for example koh Samui, thailand

 

[Desforges]

Love your colours and comps. Like Sno said those telephone wires are excellent. Would like to see what happens next.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you Joce and Joe. I appreciate it.

 

[Iain]

You definitely need to do something with the telephone wires, it is very "Arty".

I agree. Also, if you work simultaneously, painting the comparative sparseness of the second sketch may make for a welcome relief.

 

[Iain]

In an attempt to distance himself from the above post, he walked into the hills, where he was soon lost. After some hours, the alert was raised and the Mountain Rescue helicopter deployed, at great expense. When he was eventually found, despite the hypothermia, he was reluctant to leave and it took some negotiating to harness and lift him, kicking and screaming, off the hill. Let's hope he has learned his lesson and in future thinks twice before posting. We live in hope.

 

[Grapes]

Arty, Big Congratulation for the sales!
The sketches are good too. When time passes you only remember the sales! Let time do the processing .. and it will all be good.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you moscatel. That's good advice.

Iain, your advice is great as well. I like the pic you posted. Makes me want to paint that!

 

[E.J.H.]

Congrats on the sales! No real advice on the (no doubt temporary) confusion it caused, other than that I am sure you'll find your way out of it!

 

[Artyczar]

Thanks EJH. You're probably right.