Where does a painting begin? Where does it go?

 

"Dancing" Acrylic on canvas, 30x30

 

This past weekend, so many visitors in my art space where curious about that topic. Nothing is more personal and unique to the artist than this journey.

To me, it is a journey. It starts in so many ways...  I always get a sense of 'rummaging', like tectonic plates moving. An undefinable unrest. What is moving? What wants to be created?
It is especially strong in this very moment, after six weeks of art events and only very little time in the studio. The urge to paint is strong. 

Last night, I cut a canvas and nailed it on the board and added a first layer of paint. My tiredness disappeared in the moment I started painting. It's a beginning, it's raw. It still looks like 'nothing', and it felt so good. I relax when I paint. The horse is saddled, now where do we go?🤠

It doesn't matter what shows up, it doesn't matter what the journey is going to be. What matters is the journey. It's my exploration with light and color, tapping into the harmonies and disharmonies, light and dark.

Just think about it: if everything can still change in any given moment, could there be a wrong move? A wrong color? A wrong gesture?

Very often, I say to myself: 'If I could not make any mistake, what could I create here right now?' (and this, of course, is also a metaphor for any area of life)

When I paint, everything is open, everything is space. I smile at my painting and simply breathe. This might sound anything but simple, but, believe me, it actually is. We make it complicated with our judgments. I do whatever I can not to judge the process. Otherwise,I would destroy my creations with the judgement.

I'm happy to share with you an image of that beginning. I'm exploring some new materials that have an effect of 'star-bursts'.

Notice the wrinkles in the canvas. This occurs when I wet the canvas. The beautiful cotton material shrinks and moves with the water. I replace my pins to allow for the canvas to adjust to it's new shape. Paint gathers in the 'waves', which I work with in the building of the piece.


 

You have to be an explorer, adventurer and gypsy in order to be and live the artistic thrival. 💃 Qualities that I proudly own (and found through my painting process).

Here are some close-ups of the new journey:

A few last thoughts and reminders:
1) Never give up
You never know where you can go unless you go.
2) Follow your joy
3) Never look back
My grandpa gave me that pearl (3) for my journey. 'Her- or his-story' (I love playing with words) is just a story. It's past, it's gone. It's not significant, it just brought us to where we are now. That's all. What counts is the present, where anything is possible.

Much gratitude to you, for being part of my journey!

P.S. Find my paintings and art prints at www.BettinaMadini.art