Friday 12 August 2011

Slowly but surely

In a week where I've thrown a great deal away, I'm very pleased that I kept this painting. It was abandoned in disgust a few weeks ago when, after several attempts, the face would just not form. The paper buckled under the weight of layered collage and acrylic. I grew angry and made half-hearted attempts to put things right... but we all know that never 'wins fair maiden'.

Then, despite anger dissipating, I returned at her with a knife - the art kind and did away with attempted realism to take a more abstract approach. The knife loved all the texture and layer that was already there and a different woman began to emerge, influenced in part by Amy Winehouse - wild, tragic, lost.

I like this direction. I'm not sure if it's finished - or indeed any good but I like its edgy and raw quality and it's certainly an improvement on what was there before. What do you think readers? I'm submitting her to Paint Party Friday for some critique.

47 comments:

  1. I think she is excellent--do more!

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  2. Wow she is sooooo beautiful!!! I'm so glad you kept at this one I think she turned out fantastic! The energy in this one is great and I love your colour choices, very inspiring indeed :0)

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  3. I'm so glad you stuck with her. She is beautiful. I love all that texture.:)

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  4. Amazing what we come up with when we push through. Her eyes really steal my attention the most. Great piece! HAPPY PPF!

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  5. This is fab Lisa its wild and raw and little edgy just like Amy Winehouse. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  6. She does look wild and lost and a little scared. So if she can invoke all of those feelings you are doing good!!

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  7. as i was looking at this art work - i thought she looked like amy winehouse - i love the story behind this work - how you wanted to give up but pushed through, reconsidering, reworking - what a pity amy winehouse could not have done the same.

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  8. So glad you decided to keep her and try something else because I love how she turned out.

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  9. It is very expressive and wild! I love it. Reminds me of the Fauve painters.

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  10. Great painting ~ you kept with it ~ Bravo! !!!
    Happy PPF ~ namaste, Carol (Share the Creative Journey)

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  11. This is fabulous, and well worth saving! There is a very Amy Winehouse look about it...bold, sad, and beautiful!

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  12. i like the edginess and mystery of this...and the color choices.....ahh, you are insprining me to 'throw away' isn't that the best feeling?
    happy friday to you!

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  13. Great piece, I love it! It was worth the lot of work you put into it! Valerie

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  14. Wonderful! Love that you used the knife on her. Amazing texture!

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  15. Very cool! Great texture, one of my favorites of yours!

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  16. I really like her, glad you went back to her. always love seeing what you do. love the colors, take care.

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  17. Lisa...spell-binding...she is totally brilliant!! Definately Wow-factor for me...LOVE it!!
    Shine on..you are amazing!
    Victoria

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  18. oh, loving this...the texture, colors...AWESOME!

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  19. I saw Amy Winehouse immediately and wondered if she was you inspiration. Very bold and awesome painting!

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  20. She's just beautiful, I see Amy Winehouse in there.

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  21. I LOVE her- wouldn't change a thing; she is oozing with passion, LIFE and attitude! Gorgeous work!

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  22. i'm so glad you didn't throw her away-she is fantastic! i really love the colours,texture and style of this piece. just gorgeous!

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  23. I love the texture and color!
    Outstanding painting!

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  24. Wow, this is amazing! I love the rough look, gives her lots of character~

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  25. Love it! All that texture is fantastic. I'm glad you came back to her. And thanks for visiting My Blog

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  26. I capital L...LOVE her!! I love the skepticism in her face, not to mention your amazing use of color! So glad she didn't hit the trash.... I love how edgy she is too! There is a damsel in distress air about her! You should make prints of her!! You are so talented...I love visiting here....thanks for the inspiration....so sad about Amy..

    Hugs Giggles

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  27. Oh, I'm glad you kept at it and didn't toss this one out. I like this a lot, and it does seem to bring Amy to mind.

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  28. Thank heavens you didn't trash this one! You always do color brilliantly. I love the texture also. She's got that Amy vibe. I definitely LOVE it! :)

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  29. Hi Lisa. Oh she came out excellent!! It's a good thing you kept this painting and introduced it to the "knife." You did a great job in adding all the different color and this piece would be very nice a prints. Happy PPF!

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  30. I recognised this as Amy Winehouse before I even read your write up, love the colours xx

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  31. I love her. Because of the the turquoise in the background and in her eyelids she appears almost see through. Fabulous.

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  32. wild, tragic, lost - yes, I can see that in her. Very vulnerable, so raw. And absolutely beautiful. To me she appears finished. This is a stunning work of art.

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  33. I really like this - powerful and in your face.

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  34. She is FINISHED and looking great!

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  35. Oh wow! She is fabulously tragic and flawed - so interesting...you are too clever!

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  36. I agree with all the previous posts. I do see the resemblance to Amy Winehouse too. It's very impressionistic which is one of my favorite genres. Beautiful!

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  37. Oh wow, she is gorgeous! I love the abstract touch, what a great idea!So glad you had the faith to keep going, it was well worth it! She is stunning! Deb

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  38. Yes, She's great, I love this style, I wish I could do this but I end up too tight!
    -Andrea

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  39. I think it looks wonderful! What an inspiration to all of us who get frustrated when our artwork isn't going how we want it to. Sometimes that's all it takes to launch us to the next level.

    Happy PPF!

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  40. I really love this!!! Very cool!! That is what i do all the time. I set it down and then pick it up weeks later. I have a couple of things going on at a time.

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  41. I love her...and prefer to give her a Flamenco Dancer persona! :P

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  42. I am so glad you didnt throw it away, its amazing!

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  43. What do I think? Its a step into a different realm- a glorious step! Can't believe there was ever one thing about it you didn't like!

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  44. Wow! With all these comments I'd say you've got a hit! She is fabulous! I love the edginess and bold impressionistic style you captured. I do see Amy W. in this one. So colorful, so tragic. Beautifully and powerfully done Lisa! LOVE her!
    Jessi xox

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  45. love the abstract nature of it - the way it so vividly captures the features and powerful expression but is also kind of blurry (okay, maybe that's not the word I mean, but I can't come up with a better one). beautiful portrait.

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  46. So hard not to abandon...i am please when i dont but sometime the frustration is too much. Well done for just putting it aside.
    Mxo

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Thank you for your comments - I always love to hear what you think :)

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