Artists Statement

I paint as often and as much as I can. I take classes when I can afford it, but the money usually goes to buy more art supplies. This blog is to share the results with you! I am a Work in Progress.

Dianne Lanning Fine Art.com


Saturday, December 29, 2012

Vermeer

The Lacemaker-Vermeer, 6X6 graphite on paper
If you are unfamiliar with it, there is a wonderful Artist's Challenge Blog called Paint and Draw Together that offers fascinating challenges for artists to interpret. Right now it is issuing challenges to learn from the Masters, currently Vermeer's Lacemaker. It's free of charge, you accept the challenge and send the results per the simple instructions given in the upper left corner.

It's wonderful for artists because it is "rut prevention." I find myself sometimes painting the same thing over and over because when one sets up ones own still life, or paints plein air near home a "sameness" can creep in. It's natural because you are picking it out yourself. An Artist Challenge is chosen by another pair of eyes, another set of experiences. It can freshen your work no end! It's relative to getting a commission.

In the back of my mind I kept thinking I should do this one, but with Christmas and all...
But this morning I saw it again and realized time was wasting! Without preamble I grabbed a pencil out of the drawer and an old drawing pad, found a clean area on the back of another drawing, cleaned it up a bit and started in! I was too lazy, and too "into" drawing it to go get a pencil sharpener, but the dull pencil was a good challenge too!

I think my neighbor just moved out yesterday! Wow, am I oblivious or what? There was a small van there 2 days ago, but it's a bustling family and lot's of going and coming. But it finally dawned on me that there was an actual moving van there yesterday. Er, uh, did I miss a memo? Was it something I said? I was painting a lot yesterday on the other side of the house and not paying much attention. Now I feel bad. And embarrassed. And the painting isn't finished.

Here is what I've done so far:
Foggy day(?) 8X10, acrylic
Lots to do, rigging, reflections, shading, lots more, but it's a start. Sorry neighbors, I hope I see you again.

4 comments:

  1. Un très joli travail que votre interprétation de la dentellière...
    Une belle peinture également en cours...

    Je vous souhaite une année 2013 très créative couronnée de succès.

    Une petite pensée pour vous en ce passage très prochain de l'année 2012 à 2013.
    Gros bisous.

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    1. Merci Beaucous Martine-alison! And Bon Annee to you and your family!

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  2. Hello Dianne:)Happy New Year!!! Wow, you must have been very concentrated you even mist your neighbours moving out!:) I love the drawing you made of the Van Meer. I love it. I hope to see you more on this challenge site.

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    1. Thank you Renate! I hope you have a Happy New Year too! It's good to be back trying these challenges, I look forward to seeing more of yours too!

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