The last splinter

Phew, there was a lot of moving little wooden people around this week.

First peeling these tapes with paint on them off the canvas and matching them to their wooden silhouettes.

Then bringing them over to the table so I can glue them on.

And then lining them up on the canvas and gluing them on there.

As I was working with them on the table, I had to move a bunch of the others out of the way and they made these interesting groupings. I took a couple shots for future reference. Hm…

I like all the energy of that last group.

In drawing and painting, we talk about high frequency marks, which are lines made with speed, and low frequency marks, which are made slowly and deliberately. I like to use both and usually begin with very high frequency, high speed painting, and then lay down lower frequency, careful work on top of it.

Seeing these silhouettes, I realized that because these people are all in movement, it makes them register as high frequency, especially the ones who seem to be moving faster. Good to know.

After that little revelation, I got back to the task at hand and completed this one, the biggest in the group, at 36 x 46″.

I finished a couple of others, including this one that I put the policeman on as a joke but then he wound up staying.

It somehow seems related that I also picked all of these little mulch slivers out of my daughter’s sweater one evening this week.

It even kind of looks like one of the recent pieces, with its cloud-like ball of tiny lines.

Anyway, with all of this detail work, I am dying to cut loose a little next week to keep things balanced. I’m going to find something to throw some paint around on, even if it means pulling out a new canvas or two.

So this week, here’s to finding those physical, intuitive, and/or fun ways to shake it out and get your energy pumping. And here’s to getting the last splinter out of the sweater. On all levels!