Wednesday Wanderings #9
Putting in the time with gouache and some thoughts on the weariness of March
We are in the demolition phase of our kitchen update, uncovering layers of old flooring and wallpaper. With some of the dark cabinets removed to accomodate a new refrigerator which will be delivered today, the room is already looking so much brighter.
My main job this week is to keep the cat from being too anxious, tucked away upstairs with me while my husband revs up his power tools.
My Gouache Adventure
I have been trying to attain some level of mastery with gouache on and off for about 5 years. I had done some work in acrylics, but I find it a difficult medium with which to paint a realistic landscape due to its fast drying time. I have since overcome it in several ways by setting up the colors that will need blending first on my palette and trying to blend edges. I also invested in some Golden Open Body acrylics with a slower drying time.
When I first tried gouache, I also thought it would be a more portable medium for the art group I attended at the time as well as for plein air. It dries matte, so it photographs easily with a flash, making it great for sharing online.
At first, I took some online classes and watched videos from James Gurney, Sarah Burns, Ruth Wilshaw. At this point, I don’t think classes will help me as much as showing up at my art desk and painting.
My earliest paintings were in small sketchbooks. One of them was a square format. I enjoyed that aspect ratio for some reason. From a sketchbook of 40 small square paintings, there are only 7 that I think turned out reasonably well. I am not saying this to be too self-critical, I am pointing this out to demonstrate that we all produce a lot of mediocre and sometimes awful work on the road to mastery.
Currently, I am doing a self-challenge attempting to make 30 small gouache paintings. They will take me more than 30 days, and that is ok with me. My challenge/my rules. You may have seen them here on Notes. The quality is still uneven, and again, that is not discouraging me. I am not a professional painter. I always enjoy the process of painting, and if it brings happiness to anyone else, I have done some good in the world with it.
And #10, posted here in Notes yesterday.
All photos and the paintings themselves are © Copyright Joanne Wortman 2024
The main difference that I tried in this one was to do the sky and far hills in very loose gouache at a watercolor consistency. This would leave less paint on the paper to be picked up by subsequent layers, as well as creating a good sense of aerial perspective.
What Else is Happening?
I have my granny squares done and partially assembled. This first attempt at a granny afghan might be a little too wonky to donate, so I might keep it. I will post a photo when it is done. I also dug into my stash of cotton yarn and started making soap sacks to donate along with a bar of soap.
The Second Half of March
The weather provides some teasing days of warm-ish sunshine, sandwiched between nights that plummet to freezing followed by days of chilly, gray rain. I think my first daffodil will bloom today. The crocuses bloomed and were there to enjoy for a day, but then they were nibbled to the ground by our deer or perhaps rabbits. I have been re-reading Katherine May’s Wintering this year, keeping on pace with the chapters. After that I will start on Enchantment. I am always looking for reading recommendations and the best ones seem to be the ones that are posted here on Substack. Last night I started North Woods by Daniel Mason. I am sure it was a recommendation from someone here. I usually just scribble down the title and author without making a note of who recommended it. Thank you, whoever you are.
Thank you to all the new subscribers, to those who restack, comment and like these ramblings of mine. I wish you joy on your own creative journey. This place, Substack, seems to be the best place for sharing creativity without pressure and competition.
I like your work and you asked for a reading recommendation. I like the old broken gate and the simplicity of the seal in the water. But my favorite of those pieces you posted would have to be the one of the winter campfire. So, here is my recommendation, read the short story To Build A Fire by Jack London. Very intense and it's got one heck of an ending to it. If you have kids anywhere around make sure they read it. In the end, it is all about the know-it-all. Kids don't learn much about that nowadays - TIk Tok has taken over. Anyhow, I immediately thought of that story when I saw that fire. It got Jack London rolling through my brain - read Call of The Wild also. He really nails the harsh reality of nature. Also, The Sea Wolf was one heck of a good read. They also made a great movie out of it starring Charles Bronson and Christopher Reeves. But please, read the book first and then watch the movie. Both are fantastic. Take good and good luck with your kitchen. Make sure your husband doesn't muck up his back. Hasta.