The Creative Life - Barbara Trovillo

                                 I have been concentrating on value and composition this year. During a critique, these things were pointed out to me as weaknesses in my work.   Every spring, I endeavor to capture the grace of the peach trees in blossom. This year was no different. The painting on the left is the original, unedited version. It was okay, but had no "wow" factor. After putting it aside for a bit, I came back to it. I was able to vary the values enough to bring the painting to life.   The [...]

I haven't posted since July! I'm sorry. I was mourning my puppy but I am back to work now.   I wanted to talk a bit about loosening up. You would think it would be easy to let go.  Just .... let go.     It is hard to let go of old patterns. I began my adventures in art carefully replicating whatever it was I was looking at, exactly as I saw it. The artwork that excited me most, though, was that which was done by the Impressionists. Dabs of color making suggestions. I found this way of working liberating, creating gestural marks that allow [...]