I’ve nearly completed a series of oil paintings on five large canvases that are 48” x 60.” All pieces are within the theme of abstract landscapes and were created for Marin Open Studios in May 2017. These large format works were initially intimidating because it was the first time I had attempted paintings this size and, as always with painting, they came with unexpected insights and learning. I find that it’s easy to get lost in the large canvas as I paint. Individual areas of the canvas become paintings in and of themselves as a result of the sheer physical effort and time to completely cover a piece with paint, particularly at the start. This immersion alters my relationship to the painting by diverting my attention from the macro image and plan for the piece to the immediate reality of what it is and is becoming in that place at that time.
Experiencing this phenomenon, I recall the adage shared by my first instructor, artist Susan Manders, (www.susanmanders.com) to trust the process of painting to create the painting. The work will become what it will regardless of my efforts to direct the result. And, directing the result is detrimental to the outcome so capitulation to the process through observation and reaction, though challenging, is preferred. Ultimately, the experience is freeing: to know the components of a work are microcosms contributing to the fabric of the whole and that the result cannot be controlled but evolves dynamically. It’s been a gratifying series of work and I would be challenged now to revert to smaller format canvases.