Colour MakesMe Happy - Back to this old thing...

It's been over two years since my daughter was born. The last time I worked on this piece she was still in my belly. 

I've been battling a loyalty of sorts to the original painting and a new palette. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, the mere moments I get to spend in the studio are joyous and I find myself eagerly awaiting them.

I'm also recycling very average life drawings from my early uni days... See the post on Recycled Drawings

The original pre destruction

Day 1 - Post destruction

Day 1- New Tangents

Day 2 - new palette dominates

Day 2 - hopeful resurrection of original with only iPhone to use as reference material

Day 3 - reference material on the wall and the battle between old and new begins with a dash of chance and impatience thrown in

Colour Makes Me Happy... Still

Since returning from the Glenelg River neutral, natural tones (mainly yellows and green) have infiltrated the previous lolly pop colours and the whole thing is starting to settle down. I will keep some of the really vibrant colours to represent the greens, oranges, reds and pinks that show up in the bush after fire and rain but the move is towards "blue and green should never be seen unless there's a colour in between"...This painting has no deep meaning or direction other than what comes next. It's an exercise in familiarizing myself with the way colour works and how paint moves with other media.

The interesting thing (to me) about doing this is that there is still so much that doesn't work or tie together in this painting yet but its still out there

Colour Makes Me Happy...continued

Each image is a detail of the work in progress: Colour Makes Me Happy. I haven't included a full version.  I have spent some time playing with the balance of colours and at times I think I don't know what I'm doing.  I like the process of adding and subtracting colours, shapes and layers.  Its a little bit like Tetris trying to create harmony within the colours and shapes in a way that they will inevitably sing a tune that is joyful and light.