What are your painting plans for spring?

Enjoy your painting trip, I'm looking forward to seeing the results. :)

I haven't done any painting in a long while, but I definitely want to get out and try some landscape painting. I am terrible at it. Spring has arrived here now, and there are a lot of plants coming into leaf and I want to get out and start sketching them. I write a lot of plant lists, and illustrated plant lists will be a lot more interesting to look back on.

I do feel more motivated to do things at the start of spring. :)
 
I'm not a painter, per se, and I move from collage to image transfers and straight photography, and whatnot. I'm trying to just follow whatever is inspiring me at the moment. Not really seasonal, though I agree a change of seasons can be a spark for something new!
 
I am trying to paint or draw something every day. but I keep skipping and telling myself I will do better tomorrow. But tomorrow never seems to come
I get out of bed, have a coffee, and then head to my studio. It’s a ritual now. I usually know what I am going to work on in the morning so I fall asleep painting in my mind. Helps me with desire to paint as I anticipate the trial for the next piece.
 
Usually paint daily in my small sketchbooks do a bit of drawing but not often and switch to coloring in adult coloring books mostly florals from Creative Haven.
I do not plan anything just go by the day which are influenced by health issues.
Painting in morning depends on light, some in afternoon.
 
I've tended to only paint over the winter to escape the ugly greys and sad moods and once it gets nice out I spend more time outside and stop painting. But now that I'm retired I would like to keep going with painting all year. The obvious thing is to do more plein air. They tend to be my best paintings even though my art style has moved more toward abstraction/conceptual/magic realism. I need to figure out how to combine them somehow.
 
Yeah, I have some spring plans!

After finally rebuilding my website, and researching all the local galleries, and updating my statement/resume/bio…I’m starting some very feeble and lame attempts at “promotion.” All that means is that I’ll apply to shows if an appropriate one pops up. Or I’ll send emails to the (very few) galleries where I think I might fit in.

Yesterday I got word that a jury committee accepted me for membership into the local art society. Art “society” sounds so hoity-toity but it’s in their name so it is what it is. This is my first tentative foray into the NM art “world/scene” and it’s a pretty good first step….considering the somewhat limited options around here. Or maybe it only seems limited compared to Boston (where I was before). It’s also surprising that my work was accepted at all, despite being weird and “unspiritual” and not about the breathtaking western landscape.

And now I wonder…and worry…if this means I’ll have to be more….sociable?! Could my work be in some shows while my body avoids all the mingling and smiling and chit chat? I mean, I can do it if forced, but just the thought of talking in complete sentences, and coherently, exhausts me. I’ll guess I’ll see just how much bandwidth I have left…

That’s horrible to admit.
But…it’s oh so me.
 
Yeah, I have some spring plans!

After finally rebuilding my website, and researching all the local galleries, and updating my statement/resume/bio…I’m starting some very feeble and lame attempts at “promotion.” All that means is that I’ll apply to shows if an appropriate one pops up. Or I’ll send emails to the (very few) galleries where I think I might fit in.

Yesterday I got word that a jury committee accepted me for membership into the local art society. Art “society” sounds so hoity-toity but it’s in their name so it is what it is. This is my first tentative foray into the NM art “world/scene” and it’s a pretty good first step….considering the somewhat limited options around here. Or maybe it only seems limited compared to Boston (where I was before). It’s also surprising that my work was accepted at all, despite being weird and “unspiritual” and not about the breathtaking western landscape.

And now I wonder…and worry…if this means I’ll have to be more….sociable?! Could my work be in some shows while my body avoids all the mingling and smiling and chit chat? I mean, I can do it if forced, but just the thought of talking in complete sentences, and coherently, exhausts me. I’ll guess I’ll see just how much bandwidth I have left…

That’s horrible to admit.
But…it’s oh so me.
You crack me up. I will say Congrats on getting into the art society despite the implied...socialization. 😆

Now you'll have to keep us informed as to how it plays out. Hope it's actually fun! :)
 
“Fun” is all in the eyes of the beholder. But thanks Terri. And Joe and Jennie Jo…! Maybe I’ll keep youse posted, but maybe not…depending on how social I feel in the moment.
 
Yeah, I have some spring plans!

After finally rebuilding my website, and researching all the local galleries, and updating my statement/resume/bio…I’m starting some very feeble and lame attempts at “promotion.” All that means is that I’ll apply to shows if an appropriate one pops up. Or I’ll send emails to the (very few) galleries where I think I might fit in.

Yesterday I got word that a jury committee accepted me for membership into the local art society. Art “society” sounds so hoity-toity but it’s in their name so it is what it is. This is my first tentative foray into the NM art “world/scene” and it’s a pretty good first step….considering the somewhat limited options around here. Or maybe it only seems limited compared to Boston (where I was before). It’s also surprising that my work was accepted at all, despite being weird and “unspiritual” and not about the breathtaking western landscape.

And now I wonder…and worry…if this means I’ll have to be more….sociable?! Could my work be in some shows while my body avoids all the mingling and smiling and chit chat? I mean, I can do it if forced, but just the thought of talking in complete sentences, and coherently, exhausts me. I’ll guess I’ll see just how much bandwidth I have left…

That’s horrible to admit.
But…it’s oh so me.


Congrats!! On all the moves. I can relate about the socializing thing. I recently joined a local Art League. My problem is that I have social anxiety but then talk too much, say stupid things and then get more anxious later when ruminate over the stupid things I said and the good things I didn't say. And people at these gatherings will just walk away! They say things like "I want to go over there". And then I check myself for BO. Everyone has to see everyone and everything else and they are all more important than me. The nerve! It's a weird ADHD atmosphere. If you hover around the important people waiting to talk to them you just look needy. Their rich friends will check out your clothes and shoes.

My advice FWIW: Smile. Don't say too much. Think before speaking and be polite (hard for me to do). Better to look slow than be rude or have verbal diarrhea. Compliment everyone on their art even if you don't really like it. They might be someone important. Don't drink too much wine or all the above will be even more difficult to do.

And yes you can have your works there and you can comfortably stay home. But what fun is that? You got this. Lean into it. You have wit. We've all seen it. They are going to love you.
 
I don’t know if I have social anxiety exactly. I can chit and chat, force a smile, pretend I’m listening, ask insincere questions…but do I WANT to do that? No, I don’t. Is doing it any fun? No, it isn’t.

Except for two solo shows, I’ve skipped all my exhibit openings. I avoided marriage for decades because the thought of wearing a weird puffy dress and everyone looking at me was too…horrible. Halloween was no fun. Maybe there’s some “performance” anxiety (vs. social anxiety) at play. But I think it’s just that I’m really introverted and social gatherings - of any kind - are more like taking medicine or working out at the gym or eating diet food. You have to do it here and there and now and then but…you’d just rather not.

But thanks for sharing all that John. You’re the sweetest. And funny! Do you want to come with me….?
 
I don’t know if I have social anxiety exactly. I can chit and chat, force a smile, pretend I’m listening, ask insincere questions…but do I WANT to do that? No, I don’t. Is doing it any fun? No, it isn’t.

Except for two solo shows, I’ve skipped all my exhibit openings. I avoided marriage for decades because the thought of wearing a weird puffy dress and everyone looking at me was too…horrible. Halloween was no fun. Maybe there’s some “performance” anxiety (vs. social anxiety) at play. But I think it’s just that I’m really introverted and social gatherings - of any kind - are more like taking medicine or working out at the gym or eating diet food. You have to do it here and there and now and then but…you’d just rather not.

But thanks for sharing all that John. You’re the sweetest. And funny! Do you want to come with me….?


If you were doing it in NY area I would go with you and act as an emotional support animal. Maybe just pretend I'm there with you. :)
 
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