Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Some More Retro Art

"Striped Sweater"
16" x 20"
pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes
Back in the day (again, mid-80's) I had a very nice 35 MM Minolta camera.  I just didn't know how to take very good photos with it, unless it was motocross :-).  This is the only photo reference I have of this one.  The skintone isn't as pale as this photo shows - photoshopping didn't help it much either.  It's also blurry.  I remember using a black oval cut matboard for the inside (or closest surface) mat and then taking the same Canson paper on the outside and tearing the edge for the further away from the artwork mat. Some of my favorite subjects back then were sweater models from knitting and crocheting magazines.  They were a little less frivolously dressed than the super high fashion mags. 

When I think back, I was so carefree in those days. I spent a lot more time 'doing' my art - for hours and hours..now it seems I have this need to be prolific.  It's more difficult to leave something unfinished over time than I did in the old days.  Could it be that I am much older?  or I have a different style?  Am I looking at things in a different way? or I am more adept at getting the results I want in lesser time because of experience? 
I'd like to think experience shortens your workload. 
What do you think when you look back at your early artwork? 

3 comments:

Leann said...

The past few posts are a very interesting look back. You've grown a lot. I think we know in our old(er) age that unfinished work sometimes never gets finished, or you never get in the zone again, so it drives you to finish pieces now.

SharonWrightArtist said...

Oh how I agree. I sometimes remember pieces I did that I have absolutely no record of now. Looking back at old stuff that I still have makes me long to be so carefree. I like the work I used to do.
Whether the photos are bad or not I love these pieces of yours, they are so distinctive.

Pattie Wall said...

I agree Sharon - I did feel more carefree back then and more of anything goes. Thanks for your nice comments!

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