New Flow Series
My new Flow Series was born out of a craving for more time in “the zone,” in a “flow” state.
While working on my last few Precision Series realism oil paintings, I was feeling a deep desire to create art that is more immediate and spontaneous, where the outcome can’t be determined, or fully predicted ahead of time. I was also longing to be so immersed in my work that I lose track of time, to be fully engaged, and in “the zone”.
My Precision Series paintings take months to complete, and are thoroughly planned out in advance. I love the challenge that they present, and the endurance needed to see them through to completion. I love the hours spent tweaking the composition and the drawing, before paint even hits the canvas. While there are some decisions that get made in the process of executing a Precision painting, there is little room for spontaneity. As a result, I don’t often use the part of my brain that needs to be engaged to get into a “flow” state while executing a painting in this manner. This has led me to wonder if there might be other aspects of my creativity to explore.
It has taken a lot of experimentation to find a path that feels right in my quest for more “flow.” Using different paints and tools, working on paper instead of canvas, and working on a table instead of an easel, has all helped to free me up. It has opened up the opportunity for me to create works that are more expressive, and to trust my instincts to know when something looks “right.” It has been allowing me to capture concepts like movement, changes in nature, and the feeling of being in a place for a fleeting moment in time— which has all been very exciting.
In addition to posing intriguing opportunities, learning to paint in an entirely new manner is an excellent challenge. For every successful Flow painting that I create, there are several rejects. Some days I just end up making a big mess. While I start with an inspiration or subject in mind, this new process is requiring me to let a work evolve into what it wants to be. I am also learning to be thoughtful as to when to step away. It is in my nature to labor over my work to try to make it “perfect.” Trying to force perfection doesn’t work with this new process. I have ruined beautiful Flow pieces by trying to tweak them “just a little more.” Challenging as this process has been, it has allowed me to create some powerful works, and has provided opportunities for growth, that I couldn’t have imagined before I started. I’m excited by the work I’ve been creating and how this process has pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the unknown. Interesting things can happen when a perfectionist tries to go with the flow!