A Personal Break Through???

Okay. Here's the thing:

Two thousand years ago when I was in school, I was encouraged (by my high school art instructor) to submit into an art show an "unfinished" piece, along with several completed works. Specifically, it was my version of a "sun god" sculpted from clay. The large piece was completed insofar as the sculpting, but was technically still "green ware" as it had been neither fired nor glazed yet.

Following this juried show, I received what I considered to be mixed reviews from the judges (who were respected art professors from the university). I was praised and awarded for my batik art pieces, along with a pen and ink drawing. But to my personal horror, these much admired geniuses of the art world (my perception of them as a seventeen year old), mentioned in their printed article regarding the Show that they were "surprised at the number of unfinished pieces that were included in the exhibit". ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I AM RUINED!!!

Of course, they could only have been talking about me...how embarrassing...would I survive this??? At least they didn't mention me by name, I thought to myself, trying to grasp at straws and to the tiny speck that remained of my self-confidence. (It would be years later that I learned the truth in the theory that in order for a person to absorb and learn from a criticism, they must receive and accept 4 or 5 positive comments first, in order to properly absorb the shock...but perhaps the calculation is ten-fold when you are a shy, insecure teenager).

To make a long story short (ha!)...

I have never posted or presented artwork that was unfinished. Now you know the reason. But to show how much I have grown (now an insecure adult???), I have thought about it and have come to these conclusions:

(1) I enjoy looking at other artists' blogs who show the actual painting process, with "before" and "after" photographs of their work.

(2) I believe that it is helpful to other artists, and perhaps interesting to the buyer of the piece, to view the actual art in its progression, from a concept to a finished canvass.

Toward that end, I am (gasp!) going to show some of my artworks now in progress, in hopes that you will learn, or perhaps be entertained, by the process. (But, please don't tell those university art professors that I am posting unfinished work. It will be our little secret).

I have been working several days on this fun little painting/sketch that I may be calling "The Three Dancers". Yeah, I know. Not much to look at yet, but I think that I have gotten the basic sketch pretty much like I want it. Details will come later, and the background will, more likely than not, go through a multitude of changes in both color and texture.

We'll see. Stay tuned...