#InMyStudio - FacetoFace Picasso Renditions

In the FacetoFaceWorkshop - One of Misty's tutorials was to do a rendition of this Picasso art piece... Intimidating isn't it?  I felt so afraid to do a piece like this... I wasn't ready.  So I skipped this assignment!  I couldn't imagine myself ever being ready for this... until now.

                                           Picasso                                                                  Misty's tutorial rendition

I noticed not many people did this homework assignment but my very sweet friend, Betty from Texas did and I so loved her rendition.  So I decided to share it here.  I remember when I saw it in the class, how much I loved it.  It's been my heart to paint like this.  Look at Betty's teapot - I love it!  To me, in every painting, it's the small things that make it.  And that gorgeous little teapot just makes it for me and her beautiful textured background.

Betty Wilkins' Rendition

When we were in Italy, Misty encouraged us to do a piece that not only had more than one figure in it but also encouraged us to paint pieces that told a bit of a story.  But I just couldn't do it in Italy.  It's been my heart to do pieces that are more interesting, different and tell a bit of a story, especially lately - it's all I've been thinking about.  It's been one year since I was in Italy and I can't believe it's taken me a whole year to paint a storytelling piece.  I've done pieces that have more than one person in it but not ever to this detail... with hands and items.  And I have to tell you - I absolutely loved it.  When I was painting this piece I kept wondering what story this piece would tell me... I think I'm partly still dwelling on it.  The middle lady ended up holding a book - and it became clear to me that she is The Storyteller.  How apt for this painting.  I'm so chuffed with this piece, not that I think it's excellent by any means or stretch of the imagination but I'm more thrilled by what it means to me... the mini victories I have had and I think I'm thrilled with it for a few reasons... Firstly because I did arms and hands!  I have known for sometime that I have wanted to incorporate this into my work.  But fear has been in my way.  Secondly there are other things in this painting other than just faces - there are teacups, a teapots, a vase of flowrs and books.  I didn't even know I could paint a teapot and only last week, I realized I could actually paint a vase of flowrs.  Thirdly it was the way I painted this up that I just loved.... I wasn't bound by my draw up and the whole painting process was loose and free... like one of the lessons in FacetoFace when Misty painted 6 pieces at once.  I built up the paint and the forms of the face until a face emerged.  This canvas isn't big and the faces are actually tiny.  A sharp pencil was too thick for the tiny details of this piece.

To me this piece is arty.  And I know ultimately, this style is the direction I would love to move towards.  Painting this today gave me so much joy and it was my reminder of why I chose to pursue art more fully!  Cos that's ultimately why we do what we do - for the joy of it.  I hope I never forget that.

The Storyteller - 16"x12" Painting on CanvasBoard