The Creative Life - Barbara Trovillo

Routine and structure are necessary.   Nothing gets done if we don't have a schedule and routine. After awhile, though, with no interruptions, routine and structure become mind numbing.   What fun it is to break out of routine and schedule!   If life is too static, we lose our sparkle. If there are no challenges, we begin to mope.   That's when we have to SHAKE things UP a bit, reach for something that seems just beyond the stretch of our arm! Setting Goals is imperative to growth.    Two years ago, I did just that. I became enamored with a Gallery not too far away and decided I wanted [...]

It is hard to believe another year is wrapping up.     When I look back over the year, I am content with my efforts to advance my proficiency as an Artist and also, with my efforts to promote the business of Art. It was not always easy but it definitely paid off.   On New Year's Day, 2025, I had a very CLEAR RESOLUTION: GET THE WORK OUT in front of people! JOIN, ENTER, APPLY. Become a member at local art coops and galleries, enter shows and exhibitions, and participate whenever possible.    I did it! This past year, I exhibited work in 9 exhibitions. It was [...]

Patience is a subject many find painful. In general, we do not like to Wait for Anything.   When I think of my journey as an artist, Patience comes to mind.   I did not realize my love for painting until I was in my late 30s, married, with four kids. Shortly after my discovery, my marriage failed, making a "real" job necessary. I became an Esthetician and went to work.   I continued to paint in my spare time. I was heartbroken. I finally knew what I wanted "to be" and I had to do it on the side. It was difficult to progress as a painter [...]

We are here at Folly Beach for two weeks. The house backs up to the marsh and is a short walk to the beach. It is our idea of heaven. We have not left the beach. My days have been spent on the beach walking, swimming, sitting, reading, and watching. I have taken lots of pictures.    It is my favorite place to be. Even so, around day 3, I began to feel the itch to paint. I brought my oils with me but there is not enough solitude or space here to work effectively. Fortunately, the day before we left a friend [...]

"Only paint on the days you eat." Mary Gilkerson Bentz   Very good advice from a generous soul who is sorely missed.    Lots of people paint for fun. There was a time when I painted for fun.    Please, don't misunderstand. It is a joy to paint. I paint every day, and, often, it is fun.    Other times, it is "going to work" or akin to "practicing the piano". I go to the studio each day to practice my craft.   It is invigorating to begin a new painting! Like any other craft, there is prep involved: choosing a subject, taking photos, or setting up on site, Toning the board, [...]

    This weekend, at a "Meet the Artist" event, I was asked if I paint from photos. The technical answer is no, although photos can be involved.       I paint what I see. My portfolio is akin to a visual diary. Generally speaking, what is catching my eye wherever I am, is what ends up on the canvas. Most recently, I have been watching the goldfinch devour the seeds off the volunteer sunflowers that sprang up in my raised bed! This delightful experience has inspired 3 very different paintings so far.   Every Painting begins at a real life moment when I witness something that [...]

I am painting every day, really I am.    I am also having a somewhat strange summer. We usually travel in the summer but this year, we are home until late September for various reasons.   The daily schedule looks roughly like this:   8:30                 Studio work 12:00               Pause for lunch. 12:30               Studio Work  2:30                 Coffee, and/or Nap. 3:30                 Swim 4:30                 Prepare supper.     Sometimes, I will work on a painting in the evening [...]

I have painted for many years, almost 30, actually. For the first 20, I painted in my free time around my "real" job.   Even though, I had a natural talent for drawing and I loved working with paint, I was very uptight. Most of the work I did was extremely realistic. I never stopped painting, but I did feel stuck. I wanted to do something more painterly but could not seem to break out of the pattern I was in.   I observed a friend, also an artist, being very playful in her creations. She worked with collage, clay, pastels, and paint very creatively. [...]

Let me begin by saying, your canvas or board must be primed before painting. This is necessary to protect them from rot and preserves your work. I buy my surfaces already primed, but you can also prime them yourself using gesso.    Toning is a completely different subject. It is not imperative to Tone canvas or board before beginning, but there are advantages to doing it. I prefer to paint on a surface that has been toned. In my case, I often use orange, or yellow, or some combination of the two. In the past I have used red to tone. Some people [...]

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."   Mary Tyler Moore     Recently, I found myself at a painting impasse. I was standing in front of a painting in progress, unsure which to reach for, a brush or a palette knife?  The problem was a conflict of style: What am I trying to achieve?   I started painting many years ago as a watercolorist. Upon the suggestion of a collector, I began working with oil. I loved the texture and vibrancy of the paint. For the next decade, I vacillated between the [...]

   "It take Courage to be Kind" Maya Angelou   Understanding that everyone is going through something makes it easy to treat people with courtesy. A smile and cheerful attitude cost nothing and can be a great encouragement.    Have you considered giving yourself the same consideration? We are often harder on ourselves than we would be on someone else.    Winter is the season with which I struggle. I have been self employed most of my life. I am normally a good self starter, organized and motivated. I often have 2 or 3 paintings in progress. In this last month of winter, it is a chore to get [...]

  Do you "feel heard"? To be heard is one of the most basic of human needs. What does it mean, "to be heard"? It means to feel like someone sees you, really sees you, Understands who you really are and what is important to you.   Many of us who grew up in homes where "children were to be seen and not heard" had a tough go of it in the "being heard" department. If we are fortunate, there is a teacher or a neighbor or a grandparent who takes the time to listen and encourage us in the formation of our self concept. [...]

I committed years ago to a daily painting practice. Showing up is half the battle. As in anything, improvement comes with doing.    Last year was a tough one for us. I continued to paint but had so much else pulling at me, I had a hard time focusing enough to actually do my best work. I felt rushed all the time, aware of things and people needing my attention. I did not produce as much work as normal and a few of those paintings I did finish, left me dissatisfied. Occasionally, I wondered if I had lost my ability to paint.    Now that [...]

  A River View (Work in Progress) I have so many ideas for paintings, I don't know where to begin!!   Be Like a Postage Stamp. Stick to one Thing until you get There. Josh Billings   The painting above is inspired by a photo I took of a spot on the James River in Richmond. I liked the shapes created by the branches and reflections. It is definitely not finished.   What a busy week it has been here. We got home from Charleston on Monday. It is always a scramble to catch up whenever we go away. One of the biggest things I had to do was to [...]

I am so happy to welcome a New Year!   2022 was a year filled with extremities.    I had some crazy good things happen this year. I made major breakthroughs in my work. I mastered new techniques that made a difference in the quality of paintings I am producing. I got a large commission, the largest in my career! To top it off, I participated in three art festivals for the first time.      Most importantly, someone very close to me made hugh steps in overcoming a terrible addiction in their life. This is the biggest victory of the year. An answer to much prayer. [...]