Mistakes Can Give You Courage

As mentioned in my last post, inexpensive way to wall mount canvas boards, I had only one painting I thought was just gawd awful. One of my character flaws is that I am very tight with a dollar. Not only did I disparage the painting but I begrudge the waste of a canvas. To my credit I own my short comings. I can do that because I am a seeker of self-knowledge and I know it's OK to be flawed.

This painting bugged me because not only was it ugly but I had wasted a canvas. Over the weekend I hitched up my boot straps and painted over it.

Chintz - One Way

I first gave the canvas a very light green wash and then I added the pinks. Now I have a painting I actually like. I like it because the colors remind me of chintz drapes in my family home which reminds me of my mother which fills me with love. But, this painting could never have happened if I hadn't screwed up.

Chintz -Another Way

Not only did my original mistake teach me something about painting technique but it also has given me new courage.  Ever since I started my acrylic painting journey back in November 2015 I have been intimidated by a blank canvas. A blank canvas has been a self-doubt delight. I was so afraid I would ruin a perfectly good canvas. Now I know nothing is set in stone. You really can make lemonade out of lemons. My imagination has found new freedom.

I put the painting up two ways. I can't decide which I like better.

©Kinsey Barnard

Inexpensive Way to Display Canvas Board Paintings

I'm starting to accumulate paintings and so far I have only painted one that I truly did not like. Most of my painting are on canvas boards or 3/4 inch stretched canvas. I couldn't begin to afford to frame every painting and the chances of me ever selling any of them I would put at slim to none.

When I use canvas boards there aren't a lot of options for hanging them. I love to look at my paintings. I may not be worth a chit as a painter but I certainly have the love your work part down. I rate new pieces so that the ones I like best get a front row and center position. I needed to invent a way to be able to move the boards around as I paint new pictures that I find more appealing than others. So, I did.

I bot molding at Lowes, cut them into lengths, primed and painted them, drilled pilot holes and nailed those pretty little ledges to the wall. Now I can play musical paintings to my hearts delight!

Still need to set the nail heads and patch.

Display in my office

Golly, I love color!

©Kinsey Barnard

Channel Islands

Channel Islands

I got carried away and framed this one. I also framed "Floating Flowers". I just couldn't resist seeing what they looked like framed and Michael's was having a two for one sale.

I was born and raised on the California coast and this colorful painting reminded me of the Channel Islands sunset. Most of the time I have absolutely no idea what I am going to paint and this is definitely one of those times when a picture just turns up. Color is my inspiration. I'm more interested in color than subjects. When I paint I just pick some color I feel like working with and start mixing. The picture just develops from there. My painting is like a box of chocolates. I never know what I'm going to get. Crazy way to paint I know but I like the results and that's all that matters to me.

©Kinsey Barnard

Floating Flowers

Floating Flowers

Floating Flowers - Framed

I think Floating Flowers may be my new favorite abstract painting. Maybe it's more impressionist, expressionist. Whatever, it was my imagination at play.

I was too lazy to get the photograph right so the brilliant blue is not at all well represented. It's the prettiest blue I ever did see. But, sometimes there is only so much trouble I am willing to bother with. Especially, since I have the real thing to look at.

©Kinsey Barnard

Blue Sampler

Blue Sampler

This morning I finished the painting displayed on my new easel yesterday.

Blue is one of my favorite colors. In this piece I set out to paint different strokes using the same colors. I call it Blue Sampler because that's what it is a sampler of blue designs.  Just an abstract thought I held in my imagination. I'm pleased with it.
 

©Kinsey Barnard

I Found My Easel

"H" Style Table Top Easel

Back in November 2015, when I started my acrylic painting project, I wrote of my quandary in choosing a painters easel.  I was surprised to learn there were so many details to consider when choosing an easel. I said back then that I was sure I would have an "ah ha" moment one day and know what the right easel was for me. I am tickled pink to say I have had my "ah ha" moment!

I fairly quickly ruled out the tripod model. I could see me getting tangled up in the legs and knocking one of those down with regularity. I gravitated to the "H" frame model right away. They appeared much more sturdy. But, I noticed that most of them, in my price range anyway, had a cross bar on the bottom that I was afraid my feet would run into if I wanted to get close the the canvas.

Then it dawned on me that, at my ranch where I spend 8 months of the year I don't have a room to make into a studio and I didn't fancy hauling one of those great big things back and forth. And, I certainly wasn't about to spring for two of them. Then I discovered the "H" frame table top easel. It's perfect. I can walk up and put nose on the canvas if I want and when I depart this location for the ranch I can fold it up and take it with me.

I can adjust the easel so that the canvas is positioned just where I want it. I had mentioned earlier that I wanted to be able to sit because of back issues but I have learned that even though my back will cut some sessions short every now and again it's alright because I now know I really feel more in my zone when I'm standing.

The moral of this story is, when I take my time and study on a thing, soon or later I have my ah ah moment and save myself a lot of money and frustration. I have already painted a couple of things using it and I just love it! I feel like a real "grown-up" painter.

©Kinsey Barnard

Greens

Greens

I call this one Greens for a lack of anything else I could think of. It's just a lot of color, which I love, trending to greens. This is exactly the type of thing I loved to find to photograph where Mother Nature did all the designing. She is my inspiration. I really love this sort of thing. Like my photographs these are one of a kind moments never to be duplicated. Very cool.

©Kinsey Barnard

White Wing

White Wing

This is my first 2016 painting. I named it White Wing because it reminds me of when my father used to take me with him to shoot white wing dove in the Southern California desert. And, that's about all there is to say about that!

©Kinsey Barnard