Painting The North Shore

Happy Friday, everyone! This is a really fun painting post because I’m doing what some artists would find taboo: I’m showing you my progress on this HUGE painting I’m creating for my basement family room before it’s finished! This is officially the largest painting I’ve ever attempted. It’s 6ft x 4ft. I was absolutely intimidated, but I just dove in. I’m staying loose and loving every second of it. Click through and see how I tackle this monster of a canvas.

I wanted to paint something more sentimental that really had a connection with my family. We go up to Lake Superior a couple of times a year. We hike, camp, kayak, skip rocks and take photos non-stop. It’s our happy place and total paradise for my boys. They love going …and hate leaving. So, when I told Nate that I was thinking about doing a huge North Shore painting, he grabbed me and kissed me. After I said it, I couldn’t take it back! Everyone was on board! No pressure, right?!? Yikes! I totally felt like I bit off a little more than I could chew… cue the big gulp!

So far, I’ve spent two afternoons on this. It’s a work-in-progress, but it still has a few more layers to go.

I locked myself in my little studio upstairs, turned on some classical music, poured out all my paints and brushes and started filling the canvas with color. I just turn off my mind, take slow relaxing breaths and get lost in my work. It’s incredibly therapeutic and satisfying.

I already had some layers of color on the canvas from an old concept. It worked out great because I much prefer a canvas with lots of layers vs a blank canvas. I try to keep some of the old layers visible so the painting feels thicker.

I make lots of mistakes, but keep working the canvas until I can start to see the scene and the composition feels right. I’m always painting over areas. That’s the process and all mistakes are welcome.

If you missed my post called LISTEN TO ART, I talk a lot about the process of art and why it’s so important.

This is as far as I got. I’m going to keep it abstract because that’s my personal style, but I think it’s coming along nicely.

Today I’m going to hall the canvas back into the basement to see how the tone in the painting syncs up with the tone in the basement. Right now I’m guessing and doing what feels natural. I want some vibrancy, but not too much.

I’ve been thinking about this for months, sending some photoshopped renderings to a couple friends and asking them what they think about some of my ideas. I’m grateful I took some time this week to get started on this project.

I hope to keep moving on this (fingers crossed). If all goes well, the dream would be drifting off to painting land all weekend and relaxing as a “Mother’s Day” treat. 😉

Happy Mother’s Day! Stay well everyone!

XO,

Melessa