Delivery Dread...

Its time for the part of making art that I dread the most. Delivery of a commission.

Nothing fills me with more dread and fear (except maybe the thought of stepping on a slug barefooted) than delivery of a commission.

What if they hate it?
What if they run screaming from the room?
What if they are merely disappointed or its not what they wanted?

This and a zillion more absurd thoughts run thru my head until the moment of unveiling.

And I'm coming up on another delivery this week. There is that cold dread in my stomach which is completely unfounded because EVERY SINGLE commission I've done has been loved, up to and including making the patron cry happy tears.

Thanks for indulging my moment of angst. What artistically makes you procrastinate, or fills you with fear and dread?


____________________

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. ~Henry Ward Beecher

Musings on black.....

This is Buck, my latest "muse". He modeled for his studies last Tuesday and he has been waking me at night composing ideas and inspirations in my head for his portrait. I may end up doing two and letting his "Mom" decide which she would prefer. His personality is slightly larger than life and the artistic challenges of his coat color and texture are very exciting.

Because black absorbs all color, I love to put lots of color in the highlights, like I did in "Redemption Value".... and her little black spots which I put, in her case, lots of true blue and a very wee bit of yellow to make it "pop".

I am also feeling that due to his slightly larger than life energy, I may do this portrait a bit larger than I have been... it's gestating in my head and it feels so great to have all these creative yearnings and energy and the time to work.

----------

A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.
::: William Dobell :::