,
first layers
If I begin to think about the amount of surface to be painted between now and close of play Wednesday, it seems impossible. “How can I have done so little this morning?” Then I think of it five minutes later and it seems perfectly feasible. “Look how quickly I painted that!” So there’s little point in thinking at all about the total surface area of 7m2 (give or take) facing me.
The fact is that I do work really quickly, but these bursts of frenetic non-thinking are interspersed with long reflective periods drinking tea and wandering the space.
I know from experience that working fast for too long guarantees less than happy results. Intuitive painting evolves into hurried carelessness and mess.
Becoming aware of this natural production rhythm and working with it rather than resisting or overriding it (because I don’t want to take the risk timewise of having to jettison disaster) has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the residency.
Back to the palette.