Time Passages

Patricia Joyce · 06-14-2005, 11:05 AM

I always feel time is my dilemna. I wonder if there are other artists who are struggling as I am with making choices of HOW to spend my studio time.

Currently I work four ten hour days Tue - Fri from 8am to 6pm. By the time I am home and finished with exercise, dinner, dishes, it is 8-9pm and all I am ready for is bed. I am asleep by 9:30-10pm. So I have no time those four days to be in my studio. The most I get done is 1/2hr sketching in my book of anyting that is before my blurry eyes.

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are my studio days. The only household task I keep up with is laundry because the laundry room is next to my studio and when the buzzer bellows that a load is done I am in need of a break! So at the end of the day if nothing else gets done, I have loads and loads of laundry clean!!!

But back to my dilemna. Should I draw or paint? Right now I am drawing most of the time because I feel I still need to improve my abilities. Yet I am so anxious to get going on color. I have done some monochrome paitings, and some wash-ins (or wipe out) as learned in Marvin Mattleson's workshop. I believe these have been valuable in learning to handle oils and it is really fun to do. But when it comes to putting on color I really stink!!!

I am attanding another workshop with Marvin in July so right now I think I may wait until that class to think about attempting another painting in color.

My question, I guess, is what is the best route to go to move from drawing to painting? I am not interested in pastels as I do not have the money to invest and I really want to learn to paint in oil. What have other artists, especially self taught artists, done to move from drawing to painting?

My guess there are other students here on the forum who would be interested in reading some suggestions on the best way to spend 3 8hr days in the studio each week.

Thank you
Pat

ps might I add, that I greatly admire the Kimberly Dow's and Jimmie Arroyo's who can work all hours, even in the middle of the night, with little or no sleep. I envy your energy!