Shell Games: March 2012

Shell Games

This blog is about the creative process that I engage in while painting. My goal is to clarify my thinking, explore some philosophic questions and get feedback (be gentle!) on my work. I may pose some specific questions from time to time, for example: “Do you think the background would look better in blue or green?” or “I’ve been adding and deleting details for three weeks, is it time to stop?”

The title of the blog, “Shell Games” is the name of a series of large scale oil paintings that I’ve been doing (you guessed it!) of sea shells. I’ve been motivated to explore a range of meanings within meanings, metaphors, and how people view the world and reality or non-reality issues that come up. The paintings are meant to be DEEP, not just cute or pretty, with varying levels of success. You can choose to interpret them as purely decorative, but I’m hoping they have more internal essence than that.

The name “Shell Games” is a double entendre. It comes from old time carnival illusionists and hawkers who would hide a pebble under a shell (or cup, or hat or whatever) and then move the shells around. At the outset, the viewer would lay bets on whether he could follow the action well enough to say where the pebble was when the illusionist was finished. Sometimes, a sly carnie would, through sleight of hand, remove the pebble altogether, thereby cheating the watcher out of any chance of recouping his bets.

In terms of painting, it’s about how you follow the action, what is seen or not seen, what is inside, what is outside, what the distractions are, where you are going or not going. With shells you’ve got that inside, outside and relationship to context that is so interesting. And it has to be playful in some way, too – hence the “game” part of “Shell Games”. It’s not clear if I can get to “edgy”, but edgy would an advancement for me.

Life is a carnival, the Persian poet Rumi would say a Tavern, but the drinking metaphor is too dry for me. I like carnival better. We enter by a gate, there are all kinds of amusements and ways to lose your way or your money, and at some point it is time to go home.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website at VictoriaHaskell.com.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Now that I have had time to let things percolate, additional thoughts have occurred to me. When I worked in watercolor, I pretty much always worked in series. The first one was what I would label as "journalistic", a frank and realistic exploration of just what was there. The second was where I started to get more excited and playful. I would change up the colors some and really work with the washes and glazes. The third time around I would shift to an alternate version of the number two picture. The best of these versions was generally the second one. There was enough there that was real and enough creative zip that it essentially sang a little better.

I have not yet attempted to do multiples of a particular individual shell painting. In some ways the series is a multiple variation itself exploring a range of ideas. To be practical about it, a watercolor I can do in an afternoon. An oil painting takes multiple sessions and is a much more drawn out process. I have not had the ambition to try a second go at one, or have even thought of it, until now. I know several artists who say that they put everything into that first piece and couldn't do a second one because they have used it all up on the first. I think creating a painting is a process and it evolves over time. There are always decision points and roads not taken.

In regards to my Oyster Shells, I am liking this picture very much, I am pleased. But I do want to see if I can do a shell picture where I push the relationships between the shells further and really get at my original intent, which was the tension and dynamics of what happens when things touch, . . .almost. I want to play with the rhythms and movement within the work, directing the attention of the viewer and in some mysterious way, say more.

-Vicky

Friday, March 2, 2012

Here is the latest phase of my painting. You can see just about nothing of what I've been doing, but it looks better from a distance anyway! You can also see lots of my studio space and get a sense of how large the picture is and the impact that it has. I repainted some of the shadows behind the shells so they are lighter and I'm not sure I like the effect, so I may darken those up again. I have also been glazing in a layer onto the white and gray areas of the interior shells and other areas. It helps with making the interior of the shells seem more opalescent. I need to work on this stage more, but am waiting for some paint to dry before I continue. I find that adding glazes also gives additional depth and allows me to adjust the hue and value of some areas without having to re-paint it completely.
Happy painting!
-Vicky