Not a lot of philosophical thought this week, just a mid-week update from the studio!
Back in November I held a painting workshop at Casa Boutique, a really cute antique shop located in Louisville, Kentucky. It was Bridgerton themed, and so fun. For that class, I created a flower arrangement painting as a demonstration, but I never finished it.
Well, I’m trying to finish it now. I’ve been working on this in pieces, and I feel like I’m finally close to the finish line. At first, I just created it to model the process for students. But as I kept returning to it, the painting began to shift. It’s slowly evolved into something different than the original plan, and I actually like where it’s going.
The piece has a lot of classical painting elements to it, which I think comes from my learning experience. My education from the Louisville School of Painting has been very classical—careful studies, traditional setups, a lot of attention to form—and you can see that influence here in the vase and composition. The brushwork is still very much mine. There’s also some impressionistic technique incorporated. Lately, impressionism has been feeling really good to use—like it’s where my hand naturally wants to go.
This piece is also interesting because it’s very different from how I normally paint florals. The palette is also much more saturated than what I typically gravitate toward (there’s this bright green color with super punchy reds of the flowers, etc). It’s different from my normal airy palette. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little unsure how the vibrant colors will be received.
It’s been strange (in a good way) to watch my classical training, and intuitive impressionism merge with my contemporary instincts. The background alone has changed two or three times. Each time I adjust it, there’s that moment of panic: What if I mess it up? What if it becomes too different and the harmony falls apart? And then I remind myself of what I tell my students all the time — well then I can fix it. Paint is forgiving. If something doesn’t work, just change it.
For now, I’m just enjoying the process. More soon.
Yours truly,
Makara