Monday, December 29, 2014

2014

I love looking back on the year. I love looking at the colors that inspired me and how they changed, evolved. I love the feeling of "I can't believe I created that"....and also the desire in me that says..."I so badly wish to create like that again". There are highs and lows throughout the journey of a year of art-making. Most of the time, in the process, I don't know what I'm doing. 2014 was a year to embrace that space of uncomfortableness. It's a space of growing...of newness.

Devoting my life to following Christ and sharing my faith through art has brought me so much joy. I feel more me. I feel more sure. I feel more....well everything. There is a Light so bright that I can't help but share. There is a Peace veil I walk around with.....a calm truth.



May 2015 bring you Peace, Light and Joy!

I also wanted to share with you a response to this basic question:

Q. Please help me with painting faces. I don't think I'm doing it right. You make it look so easy. Can you help me out?

My answer: First off you should be very proud of these faces! They are beautifully primitive and raw. In the process of painting, it sometimes "feels like" you should work to tighten up and get them "right" but you are doing what the lessons teach....to stay loose. Embrace that! and I applaud you for that. Most folks don't even grasp what you have grasped. They work and work until it's overworked. (I have done this so many times and it's ok too. To overwork something is good. Now you know where to ease up and just let it be)

And as far as me making it look easy, I agree. It is easy for me now. And it will be for you too. Keep in mind, I have been painting almost every day for the last 8 years. I always urge folks to go back and look at my earlier work: https://www.flickr.com/photos/timssally/sets/72157600457334817/
As you can see I started out very humble but as you scroll down, you can see my practice starts to slowly pay off.  I painted a whole year before I even tried my hand at painting faces I went to art school from 2006 to 2009 (not finishing) and I would run home as fast as I could to paint and draw how "I wanted to". Art school gets no credit for helping me find my style. (My Divine God and happy accidents gets all the credit!) 

I also worked as a makeup artist for 6 years before I started painting with acrylics. I feel that helped me to learn the basics of color and how it works in the face. (Although I will say that painting a 3 dimensional face is totally different than painting flat. When you are painting flat you have to give the illusion that it has more dimension than it does.)

The secret is to paint every day. There really is no magic potion other than that. And if you love painting you will want to paint every day. Don't stop at these faces. Keep going. Fill up your whole journal with faces. And then compare at the end. I guarantee that you'll surprise yourself.

I wish you the best......! Keep pushing through....




Here is a sampling of some of my favorite paintings that I created in 2014.....






9 comments:

  1. So lovely to see all your girls together, what a great years work. Thank you dear Mindy for sharing your gifts with us. Happy painting and learning for 2015 x

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  2. Love them all Mindy. Thanks so much for sharing your years work with us!

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  3. Wise words and beautiful art. Thank you Mindy. <3

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  4. Your dedication to creating everyday has certainly solidified your style. Your voice shines through. xox

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  5. Beautiful post Mindy… and very apt advise. Yes indeed, if you keep painting everyday, your style can't help but emerge and develop! I am about to begin my year of faces. C xo

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  6. Yes, a beautiful post Mindy. I love your answer to the question. And your collection of portraits is absolutely outstanding!! Thank YOU for the special Sunday Mornings free online class. That alone has opened me to new ways of painting using colors I would not have otherwise used-and yes, it has shown me to be looser in my art. God bless and Happy New year!

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  7. Oh wow!!!! I`m a huge fan . I just love everything you make. You are so talented. Wish you a happy new year. And will absolutely follow you through 2015 too :)

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  8. Love your art! Thanks for sharing.

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