What to Print - Choices

Wilted Beauty

 Not every photograph is a winner. But the beauty of photography is it serves so many different levels like memories, internet posts, inspiration for paintings, and some actually get printed and hung on walls. And there is even a level on that last. I do print and hang some of my photography on my own walls because they speak to me.

My photography is showcased in a couple local businesses. Lately Enchanted Circle Brewing as sold several of my photographs off their walls. Which means I have to replace what is sold. Ergo I need to select photos to have printed. And the third annual Angel Fire Studio Tour is in the future; September 29 and 30. My studio walls need new photographs.

Mountain View

The tourists love landscapes of the area they are visiting so what I print has to include a few of those. But all my landscapes are not necessary views of Angel Fire and Black Lake areas. But most are New Mexico. And a few could be any country road inviting you to walk in the quiet.

Country Road

Or hear the distant thunder and smell the rain.

Summer Rain

But always popular are the old trucks.

Blue Chevy

Smile

Big Red

But some decisions on what to print are done based on spaces to fill on my studio walls, the brewery or the walls of the possible owner. I am always looking for an engaging vertical composition.

Tres Amigos

Black Jack's

And in the process of doing this blog I know I have to look for more verticals.

What doesn't get printed large on canvas may become a part of my art note cards. Flowers rival trucks for note card sales.

Dancing Poppy

Night of the Snow Blind Moon Take Two

Night of the Snow Blind Moon
24 x 30 Mixed Media on Artists Canvas
$1650

I have often wondered if Michelangelo ever walked back into the Sistine Chapel and wanted to change anything about the Last Judgement? Or did in pointedly avoid the Chapel after his work was finished? Creative people are often doubters in their own skills and also in their work. Insecure.

So Night of the Snow Blind Moon was declared done by signing it and writing a progress blog. And yet it sat on my easel. Actually two easels because I traded up to another in that expanse of time. So it was deliberately moved from one to the next when the logical thing would be to install the hanging hardware and find a place on my studio walls for it. But it remained on the easel for me to stare at daily. And visitors to my studio, rather more than normal, would walk by it and ask if it was done.

"Yes," I would replay sensing a doubt in my own declaration.

The doubt was the foreground. I wanted simplicity there because I did not want to over-power the elk. And my other paintings in the On the Edge series don't have foregrounds really. I can still defend my previous assumption it was done as shown below.

Night of the Snow Blind Moon before

It is not as if I have not changed other works of art. The digital age makes it really easy to do another take on a photograph of merit. And during college I used to travel home with art supplies to "fix" paintings I have given my folks. They loved them as is but I was embarrassed at perceived flaws.

And since the painting was still on the easel I must have my doubts. And so I got out the oil sticks. It had to be oil sticks. I had already coated the finish so watercolor would not work easily. I have begun to use oil sticks more and more in the foreground of my paintings. And the thought of a total work in oil lingers but it would require big bucks for new brushes. Besides you cannot pour oil paints.

So I think I am now done with this work. If not I will just begin a new on another canvas.