Why does this hold more promise than the painting I’m trying to resolve?

I keep scraps of paper around to test out colors, check whether I’m holding the Midnight or Klein Blue, or figure out which yellow I want.  Notice how unalike the two yellows above are.  Completely different feel as they bookend the blue.  And the poor blue doesn’t know what to do.  Stuck in the middle.

I love this little scrap. The mark making sits well for me and it is “done”.  How do I transfer what happened here to how I paint in general?  There must be a part of my brain that I’m switching on or off when I’m painting for “real”.

Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.

I think Wayne Dyer said that but I heard it repeated by a horse trainer who is tapping into meditation and awareness work.  I’m happy when I hear this and we connect to all living beings through energy.  We travel through an assortment of vibrations to influence movement.  Tango, horses, painting, people.  All the same.

I hit a wall on these big boards.  Made a move that set the whole piece off, a mistake of not getting a read of energy from all of it’s 5 ft by 6 ft self.  Didn’t pay attention to how the shapes were moving along in harmony; or not.  Fingernails on the chalkboard.

I think the scale is throwing me off.  One small change here has a huge impact over there.  Now I’m playing chess with myself.  I literally stand on one side and paint and then walk 11 ft around the boards to the other side and plan the next move.  This is a never ending game.  It’s time to face reality and stand the boards up against the wall and let my eye travel around the work.

Time to change the way I’m looking!

And then, do little, often.

XOXO,

Francesca