A Note To Myself - "The Space In Between" - Artist Life

Slocan Lake View

Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelboard

6 X 12"

Note to my Readers: This post was written prior to my last finished colored pencil piece "Welcome Wellies" you can see it here.  At the time I thought it might never get finished. I wasn't quite sure I would share this on my blog as it's personal to my journey as an artist and adult but here goes....... 

The Space in Between, the skills in between the mastery or the sales.  The paintings in between or not yet finished, or maybe never finished.  Much like the Seasons in-between of nature, all have their place. The droning on of Winter’s chill and the awakening of Spring's warm temperatures.  My painting above gives me the feeling of the space in between.  If you'd like to see the post of this painting's story you can find it here.

We all need a period of rest, all plants and animals do too! However they never seem to need reminding.  A refilling of the well, rejuvenation of spirit, or re-found motivation, of new directions or purpose.  It all plays a part in the process.  The process of becoming and of creating.  I’m a stubborn sort, impatience I’ve written about before.  I’m also a perfectionist in many aspects of art, life and self.  However much I would like to release the perfection seeking, it’s part of me.  The “imperfection" of all this seeking is not lost on me.

Acceptance of “me” the real me and not the one I’ve read I should be.  It’s an elusive and lofty goal.  So right now I’m just working on the space between this goal and where I’ve been.  The right now moment where I sit, this current season of my life, the imperfect aging body I have - This space in between the artist I’ve been and who I want to be.  Acceptance of how far I’ve come.  Sitting in this space in between I can’t help to see possibilities of a future.  

So today I choose to accept the Space in Between.  Much like those first waking moments in the morning, between being awake or re-closing your eyes in denial of it.  It’s not easy some days.  The pull of staying warm in what we know like those soft blankets in our bed.  And opening our eyes to the bright morning light and risking the cool air to start our day.  

The vulnerability in those moments in between choosing can consume us and keep us from trying.  Although they can be exciting and full of energy if we let them.  Like the child on Christmas morning ready for the adventure of what may come.  

Sometimes we get caught up in the what’s next!  Rushing thru the check list, done, done, check mark!  We forget it’s the "In Between" days or stages of a project where we find the Joy of doing.  True it can be less exciting than the actual checking off.  But from what I know of artists’ block getting back into the process of doing (the In Between of completion), can be the hardest part.  Learning to enjoy this stage or find joy there is key for the long haul.  

So I sit in this silence of the In Between, I sit with where I am. Just like one can choose to go out on a mid Winter’s day to sit in the Season.  Drink it in, rest assured you are in the now. Enjoy the small promises of the sun peaking thru with the crispness of breeze in the air.  Learn to love the in between for there you will find the best of days in this space between.  

What is your Season In Between?  Where do you find the joy while waiting?  

I promise I'll get back to creating soon, but thought I'd add this new section to the blog for those who additionally need inspiring thoughts. If you'd like to see more of these make a comment and I'll try to oblige. 

Gloria

Travels, Art Journaling and Plein Air Colored Pencil Paintings

Slocan Lake View, BC, CA- 6" X 12" Plein Air,  Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelboard
Available For Sale

As life gets back to normal after traveling for almost a month in September.  I'm playing catch up on all things art related and business related.  But BOY! did I have fun! For an artist who gets recharged by traveling and being on the road, seeing the Pacific Northwest (specifically the Oregon Coast and up to British Columbia, Canada) made the top of my list for my 2018 travels.  I'm an east coast girl so I know it pretty well, north south and mid Atlantic.  Although I've enjoyed previous trips to Washington State and Montana, getting to enjoy the PNW for 3+ weeks as an artist and spend time with my sister was a joy.

I travel journaled for most of the trip and those images will come in another post, stay tuned.  I still need to put a few finishing touches to a couple pages :))  Journaling is always a great way to get the feel of a place for me art wise.  Observe the lighting, atmosphere and vibes of a place. (And the afore mentioned are so different than here in VA.)  Travel journaling kind of gives my head time to adjust to actually making art on a trip. It also gives this "name challenged" brain of mine a place to write location names, places and people I see along the way.  The dates on photos correlate to the dates in my journal so I know where I was on each day.

The scene above was of Slocan Lake's south slip, where ferry boats would come into Silverton in the early part of the 20th Century bringing supplies and miners families to town.  My sister has a lake house there and her view of Slocan Lake is beautiful also.  So many photos to paint from so little time! My reference photo taken for a few tweaks after I returned to Oregon is below.  While the photo is close to what I saw, the camera greatly changes the tones on the far mountain range I observed.  They were not the very blue as seen below.  While pretty I wanted to capture the actual view.

Photo of Slocan Lake View for reference

You see the human eye can see so many more values and colors than the camera. Which clones major darks and cannot see the subtle tones our eyes can.  Plus for this morning out it was really about the fog that still settled in the highest mountain ranges and the lightly dusted glacier of Idaho Peak seen in the distant right.  With some editing of the scene, (removing a couple small trees that interfere with the distance focal point) I hope I can give just a little of my experience of a moist, foggy day to the viewer.  The dew in the grass and shear quiet of the location.  While it was only mid September the tourist season was ending in Silverton.  The campgrounds nearby emptied in the few days we were there and brisk high 30 degree temps hit in the mornings at lake level.

I took so many photos while in British Columbia of the scenery, mountains, rivers and lakes  I will have no shortage of landscape images to work from.  If anyone is from that area who stumbles upon my blog I hope you feel I did it justice.

Of course the piece is for sale and you can contact me at my email: gloria@gloriacallahan.com if your interested.  All of my Colored Pencil works on Ampersand board are created using artist grade lightfast pigmented colors, and are protected with fixative and 6 light layers of archival UV Acrylic Varnish.  

Now off to frame this little guy!