Day 6: The Florida Burbs

Day 6: The Florida Burbs

I keep seeing this house down the street, glowing white and completely empty feeling. It has the distinct look of the suburbs from an earlier time. It also has a bit of a melancholy feel to it for me despite the strong sunlight that hits it all day long because it appears empty.

House at the End of the Road
Oil on Panel
6 x 8″

When I see this house I am reminded of Edward Hopper who painted things like this with a synthesis and clarity that is deceptively simple.

Maybe it is the small size of the canvas or the fact that I know in the back of my mind that I am going to have to show this to you, but I find myself what I would call trying too hard.

Trying too hard to get the drawing right, to get the lights and darks right, to make a pretty picture or some such thing. To make something perfect is to loose the sense of spontaneity that comes up in the moment of working and ultimately looses the sense of the personal along the way.

This is an awkward balance for me sometimes because I want to think about things like is the drawing right? Is the placement where I want it on the canvas? Do the values make sense to convey the sense of light? And so on. The list of things to think about, even while making a small painting, goes on and on and can be like a strict schoolteacher micromanaging the process. (well for me anyways).
At some point there must be a moment to leave that behind and to respond to something else besides just the technical “is this right/good/pretty”.

At the end of the day I think that finding this balance only comes through working- working consistently, a lot (i.e. daily) and working with a curiosity and openness to the process of one brush stroke at a time.

Oh and I think probably the most important thing is to remember to be willing to make bad art.