"After" CW Mundy
"Before" CW Mundy
If a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope that the two versions of my simply painted apples will describe the transformation that my painting style went through after meeting and studying with CW Mundy last week in New Harmony, Indiana. Our class of 20 students had just settled in to our seats on the first day when CW told us to get up, set up, and paint a piece of fruit quickly. My "before" version is above and it served as a benchmark for the changes I was to go through in the next few days in class.
I came in to CW's class with the intention of loosening up my painting style. Sounds easy enough, but it turned out to be one of the most difficult processes I've ever gone through. Surprisingly, after painting in "my" style for a few decades, it was not easy at all to break through to a new level of painting. The left side of my logical brain was so resistant to change, it was shocking to me. CW saw the frustration (also known as tears) in my eyes, and gave me space to wrestle with my demons.
I'm happy to say that the quiet complacent right side of my brain finally had a say in the matter. In the stillness of my studio, my intuition is beginning to emerge. This new style is not second nature to me yet, but in about 20 more paintings, I hope to have a sense of comfort with Impressionism.
I'll write more about the workshop in upcoming blogs. I hope you'll stay tuned!
The idyllic town of New Harmony, Indiana
sounds like a great workshop, Ann. Will we in your "continuing " class get the benefit of this breakthrough?! I think you are impressionistic at heart and won't need 20 more paintings to accomplish your goals.
ReplyDeleteHi Gloria! I have so many new ideas after taking this workshop. I think I took 20 pages of notes, and I can think of some great new projects for us. Looking forward to it!!!
DeleteThis was a wonderful experience to be sure. Your paintings are so very different that I can see where it would be a struggle to get the ol' right brain in gear! The tears you mentioned were the same kind of tears I had in your impressionistic class, so I know the feeling. I think it's simply frustration that we cannot control the left brain/right brain thing as easily as we had hoped possible.
ReplyDeleteCorinne, it's so great to hear from you! I hope that you're healing well after your surgery. I thought about you while I was with CW. I think we're wired the same way. Our painting is very closely related to our emotions, so when we get out of our comfort zone, those emotions bubble up. But I always tell myself that if I'm too comfortable, I'm not learning anything new, so I'll take the tears with the new knowledge. Heal well dear friend!
DeleteWow! I love watching you evolve! So exciting! Looks like a good but difficult class. I'll be staying tuned to hear more. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnn, this is a beautiful painting. Just one apple but there is so much going on. Be proud.
ReplyDeleteTerrific post and lovely painting! ......I'll be staying tuned !!!
ReplyDeleteI love your transformation! How exciting and fun. I'm sure it was a wonderful experience. Your painting are lovely Ann!
ReplyDeleteHow sad that as a resident of Evansville, Indiana I find out about a workshop I would have loved to attend on your blog! Unbelievable! I'm so happy you enjoyed your time in Southern Indiana, I love New Harmony and all it has to offer!
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, I'm glad you know about it now :) The New Harmony workshop schedule for next April has just come out, so do look them up! I've signed up for Catherine Anderson's portrait workshop, and I'd love to see you in New Harmony! It really is the best time for intensive work and growth in a beautiful place, along with the friendliest classmates you could imagine.
Deletehi ann, do you think you could share a semi-brief description of this "destroy and rebuild" exercise with us in a blog? i enjoy looking at your two apple paintings and am wondering about the basic steps involved. i think i have an idea of what you do: do you paint the first painting to a nearly finished place and then drag into the apple some stokes from the background and drag some strokes from the apple out to the background? or do you start a painting from the very beginning doing a destroy and rebuild?
ReplyDeletei most probably won't be attending a CW Mundy workshop because i don't travel and i live in Oregon. so any sharing you might do would be most appreciated. thanks so much. bess
Hi Bess, I'm actually working on a Youtube video right now, which will show several basic impressionistic techniques, and the destroy and rebuild process will be part of it! I'll also be writing more about it here, so watch this space :) Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteHi Ann - YOur apple is great both ways. I shared this post with the class and half of them preferred your regular one. I explained that it is the artist search to go beyond what they can do "now" that is the motivating force in the quest to grow. Of course the other hald loved the new one.
ReplyDeleteHow I would love to attend one of Mundy's classes. I also love a lot of other artists who use a basic destroy and rebuild in their personal technique. Wish I could take from all of them!
My fracturing technique is also similar but with a different focus of the structure being maintained.
Looking forward to your utube video. I know it will be fabulous!
Hi Julie, How wonderful to know that you shared that post with your class! Turnabout is fair play, since I use your beautiful paintings as examples of successful impressionism often.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said about the quest to grow really struck home with me. Several people have told me that they prefer my original way of painting, and please don't change a thing. I wish I could accommodate them, but it would be impossible for me to continue to paint in the same method forever. I agree with you that we need to respect our need to grow and continue to push our limits. To me, that is what being an artist is all about. And I can tell from your paintings that you have that motivating force as well!
Thank you so much for your comments!
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