3 Years in the Making!

Growing Times

This painting has an interesting story that I would love to share with you. The first time I painted this canvas (as there was many,believe me) it was a taupe colour palette and the imagery was based on a clock....it was one of the last paintings I created before I took some time off from painting. It was about 3 years ago now. I wasn't overly fond of the painting and so I repainted and worked back in to it 6 months later with a beautiful violet red colour. Unfortunately it still wasn't where I wanted it to be. So it was put back into storage and turned around, so I couldn't see it. About 12 months ago I got it out again. This time I collaged paper on, painted and printed, added green and gold...but you guessed it~ it went back into storage. So I looked a little closer at what was really going on for me, and what was happening in my life that made me want to work on this particular painting. (by this stage there were many layers).

I discovered that every time I faced a challenge (or growth opportunity as some love to call it) I want to paint on this canvas. And it came to me that great change preceded work on this canvas. I recently brought it out of storage, but realised it was enough just to bring it into my house.

Last week I reached for it again, except this time instead of putting on another layer, I stripped away layers with paint remover. It wasn't pretty, using paint thinners to remove layers (a little toxic, but I looked after myself!) What a great metaphor~ reflecting what I've been experiencing the last few years, peeling the layers away.....I was ready to finish this canvas!

And I did. I am most happy with what I created, using positive and negative space and allowing the many layers to still be visible.

And I love it now! A wonderful reminder about personal growth and changing times. How great the journey and the destination!