Setting a deadline

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Having been trained as an architect, I paint very tightly. I see details before the big picture.
Mies van der Rohe said: God is in the details.
In a weekly watercolor class, I was finally done with my very tight detail-oriented painting of the Golden Gate Bridge. There were 20 minutes to pin-up time, and I wandered around, looking at other work. Then I saw a photo of a meadow with trees that the instructor had brought in, amongst many others, for us to use as inspiration. In the remaining 15 minutes, I thought I would set a deadline and try to do a loose painting, to finish in that time.
I enjoyed painting just the essence and learned that setting a deadline forces me to look at the big picture, and that there is a minimum number of strokes to create a painting. Usually, I'm focused on the maximum {and then some!}.
I was proud to have two paintings up at pin-up. And prouder still when the instructor said
"this really isn't your style"!

Wildflower Down (6" X 8")           December 2016
                                                           

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