September 20, 2020

When is a painting finished?

Often people wonder how I know when a painting is finished. It can be hard for an artist to decide. It's easy to overwork a painting and lose the freshness, the raw energy and flow that makes a piece particularly strong.

A few years ago I came up with a system that works for me, the bedroom test! It isn't fail-safe for telling me when to put my brushes down and stop in my studio! But it seems to be spot on for determining if I am satisfied with my painting when I think it is finished.

I work in oils, so I always have numerous paintings ongoing at any one time; while a layer on one is drying, I turn to continue on another. This means there are always a lot of unfinished pieces along with ones near completion, hanging on the viewing wall in my studio at the same time. 

 
My viewing wall

This can make it hard to assess one painting, when seen surrounded by others. There are many times when I think I've nailed a piece, made the final marks, I'm excited by the result. Still, I always put it through my bedroom assessment test. And more often times than I like, I find the painting is not done to my satisfaction, there's something that's not quite right, some elusive element.

"Out of the Blue", full color  

I, along with many other artists, check the photo of a painting in black and white, or even better, remove the saturation in an editing program. This strips the colors away differently than black and white. But neither is like viewing the actual painting with the colors stripped away. 

"Out of the Blue", color saturation removed
 
Look really carefully and you'll see that the "light" and "glow" in the painting is quite different in these two photos. The yellows and oranges don't show up as light in the black and white photo (below), yet they do in actual low light. Removing the color saturation comes closer (above), but not like viewing in person in low light.

"Out of the Blue", black and white photo
 

My work is all about color, and color can have great contrast without much light and dark contrast. I want my painting to work when fully lit and you see all the colors, but also when you are only seeing the design and all the color is stripped away.

I always like to hang a painting in my dining area. A dining room is a great place to enjoy art, and often people like to dim the lights for eating. I want my pieces to be just as strong whether brightly or dimly lit.

I've found that hanging a piece in my bedroom is the perfect way to assess it. For starters, it's not surrounded by all the other pieces I'm working on. Having a series or group being worked on together is great, but I need each to stand on its own.

"Expanding Universe", full color

Second, in the bedroom, I see the piece in all different light levels, artificial light in the evening, flashlight in the night, and the best is the early light at dawn before the sun rises. This is natural light, but the very first light at daybreak only shows the lights and darks, the values in the painting. This is the most important part about the composition, the design of the piece. 

"Expanding Universe", color saturation removed

I suppose the fact that I'm a lousy sleeper helps with my bedroom test! I wake up numerous times in the night and at daybreak. I love to crack my eyes open when there is just the slightest light and look at my painting, all I see at first is the composition, so I can tell instantly if it is a strong one.

 
"Leap of Faith", full color

Then I shut my eyes and  snooze some more. As the day brightens, I crack my eyes open to take another look. I have found this the best way to assess my paintings. As the light levels change, the painting seems to come alive; I love when I can barely make out the colors, and then when they become more intense as the sun actually rises.

"Leap of Faith", color saturation removed
 

I think the other reason this assessment works so well is that I am using my subconscious mind. There is something powerful about looking at the piece before I'm fully awake, and then snoozing, and then looking again. Years ago I named this state "shmirling", not awake and not asleep. This is a vital part of my painting process. 

Bedroom test!

If at first glance, I love the piece, I know it is complete. But there are times when I've put a painting in my bedroom that I'm sure is done, and then the early morning light will reveal that it needs more work. This is when I crack my eyes open to take a look and just know something is off. 

I often don't know right away what is bothering me. So I shut my eyes for a bit, drift back to sleep, and then take another look. Most of the time, I can then tell what it is that bugs me. Maybe that intense orange, (I love to use orange), isn't a deep enough value. In full light it stands out strongly, but as to the light and dark design, it is not enough. Many different things reveal themselves, they aren't huge flaws, but just enough to bug me. A couple of shapes are too lined up, or the dark shapes are too similar. More often it is to do with the color values, and I always want my paintings to work even when the colors are stripped away.

Early stage of a new painting
 

Color saturation removed, orange shapes are lost

So if a piece doesn't pass the bedroom test, it's back to the studio, until I achieve the "grace" I am looking for in my paintings.



September 13, 2020

We did it! Thank you!

We took a chance on holding an in person Taos Studio Tour over Labor Day Weekend, and we pulled it off! A huge thank you to everybody who stopped in, wore a mask and safely kept their distance.

I was able to provide a private viewing for most parties, how special is that!

As an artist, the best thing is to have the chance for people to view my art and discuss it with me, to let me know which pieces are favorites and why. I love it when I can see where my paintings have gone to live!

"Little Adobes" in its new home.

One really special aspect about a studio tour, besides meeting and speaking directly with the artist, is you get to see the newest work along with previous paintings. I often bring some pieces from my personal collection, ones that have been hanging in my house. These are usually some of my strongest pieces, they've gone through my "bedroom assessment test" (more about this next week, stay tuned!) to be 100% sure they are finished. These are the pieces I have held onto in order to learn from.

 

"Out of the Blue", 30" x 30", oil on canvas, sold

It can be bittersweet when they sell. I loved having "Out of the Blue" hanging in my dining area, but I'm always glad if they find a new home, and then I pick another to hang in my house!

This year I hung paintings from my sky series as well as my newest pieces painted during the pandemic. The groups may be different, but you can see the common theme of color running through all of my work when they are viewed together.

 
"Trace of the Sun", 12" x 12", oil on canvas

For the Taos Studio Tour I was teamed up with another artist at a central location in town. Want a glimpse into my actual painting studio where the magic happens? Click here for a video to take you there. 


In this video, I talk about my intent, to have light and depth in my paintings, to have you "sink into my art, and be transported." When you look at one of my paintings, I want you to find your own story. I want you to be able to find something new each time you take a look.

"Walking Through Time", 12" x 12", mixed media on canvas

I talk about my inspiration, how it comes from nature. I want my art to make me feel what I was feeling when I was out on a hike or watching a gorgeous sunset, or standing in the wind as a storm rolls through.

 

I also talk about my process and show some of my new explorations. I start by laying on color. I want lots of layers, they add translucence and luminosity, depth and a richness. I love to add dots and patterns. 

 
Detail from "Find Your Way", 24" x 24", oil on canvas
 
As I progress, the painting takes on a life of its own. I paint intuitively, never knowing where I'll end up, but loving the results.



August 23, 2020

Jewel Box Tour, come find your gems!

 
I'm really excited about a new series of paintings I've been working on. I'll be introducing them at the Taos Studio Tour. Yes, we are going forward with our Studio Tour this Labor Day Weekend, Saturday September 5th - Monday September 7th, 10-5pm daily. 19 artists will be participating.

 

 

 

It'll be a hybrid tour, both in person studio visits as well as virtual tours. The Preview Party will solely be virtual via ZOOM. See info below.

I'm #13 on the studio tour map at 500 Cruz Alta Rd, Casita #2, along with Adorn Your Life 2, #12 with Mosaics, Jewelry and Cards. We are set up in two separate garage bays. The large doors, at opposite ends, will be open so there will be plenty of fresh air. We'll be inside yet outside! We'll have shady, socially distanced seating spots outdoors if there are too many people to be inside the space at one time. 

We will be following all state safety guidelines. Masks are required.

Come pick out a favorite piece of art. This is your chance to see my newest paintings, experimental pieces, and work from previous series. See where my inspiration comes from, engage with the art, and find out my techniques and process. Now that many of us are working from home, it's time for new art on the walls!

You can download a Tour Brochure and Map here. 

If you're not in the area, or uncomfortable with in person visits, this year there will be virtual opportunities.

Contact me by email at art@lydiajohnston.com if you are interested, and we'll set something up. If you'd like to schedule an in person appointment during the tour, we can do that too. Time will be set aside just for you for a private viewing.

The Virtual Preview Party is scheduled for Friday, September 4th at 5:00 pm. Visit the TAO website to get the ZOOM link, pour yourself a glass of something refreshing, and join in to meet the artists and see examples of their work. The artists will all be there and each one will speak for a minute about his or her work and process.

 

August 02, 2020

'Taos Is Art' Banner

More highlights since moving to Taos. For the past three years, I've been honored to have my artwork selected for the 'Taos Is Art' Banner competition to celebrate and acknowledge the living artists of Taos County.


2020 'Taos Is Art' Banner

This year my banner is hanging on the east side of the Taos Plaza.

"After the Storm", 24" x 36", oil on canvas

Here is the full painting for you to see. As the banners are long and vertical, I used a thin slice of this horizontal piece.

This painting sold back in early February, pre-Covid-19, that now seems like a lifetime ago. At the time, I was thrilled to get news of the sale on the same day I got news from the Town of Taos that they had accepted my art for the banner!

Life has now changed dramatically, but know that art is still alive and thriving throughout the world, and more important than ever for our collective well-being.

2019 'Taos Is Art' Banner

Here is my 2019 banner. In 2019, the Taos Arts Council partnered with SOMOS, the literary organization, to create Poetry and Art in Public Places. I was honored to have my piece chosen for the project.
Eighteen Taos poets each selected a single art image from the Banner Project and wrote an Ekphrasis Poem inspired by the piece of art. [Ekphrasis is art inspired by another art form, primarily from painting.] Margery Reading wrote a beautiful poem to pair with my painting.

     "Until That Moment", 24" x 24", oil on canvas                      

Here is the full painting for my 2019 banner. The banners are long and narrow, and I'm primarily painting square, so I used a slice of one of my paintings.


2018 'Taos Is Art' Banner

Here is the full painting used for my 2018 banner.

"Radiance", oil on canvas, 24" x 24"