Click on this link for A great talk by Stewart Cubley: try having this playing whilst you are painting.
Today (March 2012) i created a space for some Process Painting – i’m very excited!
This is the first painting that emerged when i started Process Painting at Esalen, California in Dec 2008.
It still surprises me when i look at it and I wonder where it came from.
I went on an emotional internal journey with several more paintings: a couple of huge sweeping abstracts and another face.
This is not about creating art for others, or to sell or for any artistic merit, or to achieve anything – it is purely to allow the colour and the brush to take over an allow them free reign.
The last painting of the 5 days was this:
it is unfinished, i had to stop and get on a plane to come home – it was a wrench to leave it and i have always wanted to return to it but life events have prevented me from completing this picture.
I had just arrived at a deep meditative place of connection and peacefulness whilst painting this picture and i had to leave it …
oooowwwwwwwwcchhhhhhh! the pain of separation …..
… and today, 15.Apr.12, just over 3 years later, i finally got back to Process Painting.
I have set up a space in what is my project room/studio. The room is full of clutter – unlike other studios shown on blogs with pristinely sorted and stored supplies – I included a bit of the scene as i am sure there are others of you out there who work in chaos too! Please say there are!!!
There was so much noisy chatter in my head as i faced the empty sheet of paper, i wanted to get back to the picture of 3 years ago but felt this was too contrived and i should (yes, notice how soon a SHOULD crept in) go with what was in the ‘now’.
I remembered how Stewart Cubley had encouraged us to go with whatever colour called to us and i was off – i just started with green and stippled with repetitive stabs at the paper – very therapeutic and then eventually here was a picture:
similar, same sort of theme, very different mood
a beetle appears, and flames.
the sweeps curving under the painting were like cradling, rocking, supportive, comforting and i felt like i could have gone on repeating that movement for hours…
and then back to stabbing and stippling again using a nice fat stencil brush…
there was a sudden release of energy, not trying to make anything happen any more and letting swirling and zig-zagging take over until:
it was finished!
And i felt such a huge sense of relief – phew!
And it is this little person who interests me most – it feels like she is a part of me and i have kept her on the wall while i get to know her better.
the next time I went to the paints I went for totally different colours
Wild Daffodil 
Interesting! This is the first time I came across process painting. My dad paints in watercolours.
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It is a wonderful experience to paint in a Process Painting group – very freeing – here is another talk by Stewart: https://batgap.com/stewart-cubley/
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Watching that progress was wonderful. I am pondering the woman and child who faded into the thicket…were they a part of her she had to let go of? A mother, her childhood? How does she feel about their departure? Her demeanor is peaceful.
My husband dabbles in drawing and claims to faces are the hardest part so I always zone in on them, can’t help it! Hers is as sweet as her cherry blossom hair.
It’s nice to know I am in good company with my organized pandemonium style of craft space decor 😉 .
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Thank you Melissa, I find your engagement with the pictures heart-warming – I love your description of ‘cherry-blossom’ hair – in the first painting I did in California, the little one had primroses for hair – it makes me want to get back to the paints and see what emerges next …..
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When you do, definitely share 🙂
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just love it!!
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Thank you so much for popping in Pamela, and thank you for your comment – it has made me re-visit this page after a long time – I want to get back to some process painting again now!!!
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Interesting process, similar to what I’ve been doing for my Tower only not for public view. Seems to me that your studio space is very similar too! I’m intrigued about what isn’t seen in the finished painting and the part of you that is now covered up? Watching the space…….
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Thank you for your comment Wendy – am loving these musings and discussions!
Well here is the next picture to emerge – is this a manifestation of the covered figure in the last one – i am struck by the direct look in the eye of both – it feels like the part of me that says ‘speak only truth to me – i refuse to engage with any bullshit’! which is particularly appropriate at the moment in dealing with a difficult situation with a band of very tricky male farmers – warrior woman much needed!
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