The Creative Life - Barbara Trovillo

I remember the moment things began to change.

For many years, I said to myself and other Painter Friends, "I want to do something different but can't seem to break away from what I know!"

I was painting part time then. I had another business that was my primary source of income. I always said, "When the kids are grown, I can afford to be a Full time Artist".  Somehow, the security of the established business kept holding me in place.

Then, the pandemic happened. Suddenly, I could no longer maintain my other business.

Joyfully, I began to paint every day.  Every Day!

I have heard it over and over again....Only paint on the days you eat. In other words, practice, practice, practice.

My work began to change: better composition, more accurate perspective, etc. One day, there was a distinct moment of transition. I was doing a commission for a client, painting the yard and garden of a mutual friend. In the background, there were large evergreen trees. I took the palette knife and scraped paint against the canvas, hoping to communicate the heaviness and movement in the branches. It was not a conscious decision. It just happened!

My daughter in law, Liz, commented, "I really like the way you did the branches." She noted the difference..... Good eye, being an artist herself and all.

That was the beginning of more palette knife work, more carefree marks.... Then, I happened on a guy's work I really liked. I was curious as to how he created the effects in his paintings. I watched some of his reels and was intrigued by his work with a squeegee, of all things.  I ordered one right away. What fun experimenting with it!

The first major squeegee piece I did was this:

I love the atmospheric quality. There is very little brushwork in this one, just enough to give shape to the creek banks and trees. 

I have been working small, not tiny, 12 x 12, or 9 x 12, for the most part. When I was at the Festival in May, some people were looking for larger pieces. In preparation for the two festivals coming up in September and October, I am working on a few bigger canvases.

This last piece is done on a 24 x 36 canvas. It was interesting to do and actually, quite intense. I developed a rhythm of putting down paint with the palette knife, then moving it around with the squeegee, being careful not to smooth it all out completely. I did use the brush to put the egret in. Otherwise, there is very little brushwork in this painting.

Believe it or not, another aspect that contributed to the change in the work was the change in venue.  In January, I gave up my studio space and moved into a spare room in our home. I knew it was temporary. I was determined to continue to produce. It was a very small space in which to work. We have 3 dogs and my husband was home, dealing with some health issues. All that to say, it was not exactly quiet space. In addition, in the last six months, I have had a great deal of pressing, non Art related demands on me. Each time, I went into paint, it has been with an urgency that was not there before. I was determined to not be deterred. Somehow, these less than perfect conditions, pushed me to paint with more abandon.

Interesting, right?

The conclusion, I think is, practice, practice, practice!  Persevere.  Be determined. Whatever it is you want to achieve, make it a priority and work at it!

If I would apply this to my study of Italian, I would be fluent. 

Ciao! Barbara