Arts & Culture CHAUNTECLEER

CHAUNTECLEER
New work by Salt Spring Island painter Florence Roberge.
Opening Reception Thursday, May 14 5PM-9PM
Exhibition to May 18th
Studio 13 Fine Art
1315 Railspur Alley
Granville Island
Vancouver
Info: 778-893-2207
www.florenceroberge.com

 

I used to love painting too (before my assault/disability). It's funny how people think it is for an 'artist' vs. how it really is. Painting was like a birth. There was anxiety, frustration, disgust, acceptance. Overall i would find it hard to summarize the whole thing as even enjoyable at the end. Almost all of the time I would dislike what I had done at the outset, only to accept and even like it with time and exposure. And oh so many approaches. Sometimes I would just be totally spontaneous and impulsive. I didn't want to think, I just wanted to do!

At other times I would put a lot of fore thought into it ie. making little sketches...thinking about colors in my head etc. And I always threw out about half of my stuff because it was crap. This is the magic when painting. You can be talented but when a good painting happens, it is still part talent, part luck, part magic. There was always a little bit of agony with each piece...and this is normal.

And pressure? One wrong thing could ruin a whole piece. And you had to take breaks because just like anything, once you get tired you mess up more. More than once I had spent all this time and effort on a piece that was coming together really well, only to sabotage it with some impulsive addition at the end because i was tired and sick of concentrating so hard!

And don't get me started on Acrylic paints! They are great in that they are completely non-toxic so no fumes. But they dry up completely on your palette after a very short time. So after one has taken great pains to mix the perfect shade of Periwinkle Blue, for instance, one has 3 minutes to use it all before it dries into a plastic skin so then you have to try and mix that same shade that you made previously...

So if you're wondering why painters are a little 'wired'...'eccentric'....the process is not as pleasant as one who does not paint might think. ( I still wish I could do it again tho....I just don't have the stamina anymore...it's sad )