While visiting San Francisco last October, I was walking down Castro Street at night. I like to go walking at night because it gives me an opportunity to have a little peek into people’s spaces. Creepy, I know, but I find it inspiring to see how they decorate, what kind of artwork they may or may not have on their walls, what lighting they use, etc. Looking up into a 2nd floor apartment, I noticed this white lampshade against a light green wall with a long stemmed flower curving off to the left of the lampshade. Something about that image caught my interest for some reason. The next morning, through no effort of my own, that image started to arise in my mind as an abstract. At that moment I was no longer seeing the beautiful, sunny and lush landscaped backyard of a good friend I was house sitting for. I was seeing an abstract image inspired by last night’s peeked interest. When this happens I like to try to capture the image by sketching, as quickly as possible, the arrangement, color, shapes, and emotion of the painting I’m seeing in my mind. I like to use the Procreate Pocket drawing app on my smart phone that allows me to be in the flow and work quickly on impulse and intuition. This method allows me to feel less inhibited by material availability, set up, cost, learning and especially free from the “fear of f...ing it up!”
Digital sketch of Exit Stage Left
Using the drawing app I can save a copy at any stage in the process and therefore go in many directions and try many things. Sometimes, by accident, I use an app brush that gives me an unexpected result that I am surprised by and fall in love with. I value the option to be able to save multiple sketch versions, having the opportunity to explore and choose one that best resonates with the painting I’m wanting to capture.
Once I’m happy with the image, I like to set that image as my phone lock screen wallpaper. By doing so, I keep the image in my conscious mind each time I open my phone and therefore if finds it’s way into my subconscious where the conversion process to an actual painting seems to occur on it’s own.
Often I will wake up with beautiful images and techniques I can use to create. In this case, I was stuck on how to create the abstract red blotches which represented the flowers. I wasn’t sure how I could recreate the image I had clicked upon by accident when using the drawing app. So, one morning I woke up and I just knew how I could do it! Sitting up immediately I went to my closet to get some saved thick foam packaging material that I could cut into a rough circular shape to use as a stamp. I knew if I thinned out the red paint enough that I could recreate similarly sized red flower shapes. I would also be able to obtain enough variation in texture by how the paint adhered to the foam cutout and how much pressure I applied each time. Such a great feeling to be in the zone!
Exit Stage Left, initial study
5” x 5”, acrylic on canvas
In the next step of my process I like to paint about 3 to 4 study pieces each on an individual 5” x 5” canvas. This way I have the chance to try to mix the correct colors, practice the consistency of the paint needed to create the desired effect, and to gain some muscle memory of the brush strokes/tool markings desired to be able to then transfer it all to a larger version in the future.
Exit Stage Left
36” x 36”, acrylic on canvas
So there you have it. The inspiration and creative process of me as an artist for one of my current pieces on exhibit. I hope that many of you find this inspiring and motivating enough to venture out on your own creative journey, whatever that may be.
Yours,
Matt
