I woke up yesterday consumed with the obsession to paint the upstairs landing. I couldn't think of doing anything else, and, in fact remained obsessed with it until it was done.
I haven't been that consumed with an image since I had to paint "The Youngest Groomsman," and that was two years ago. Since then, I have created a lot of things, both painted and woven, but they were created because of curiosity, demand, or love of the process, not compulsion. I wish I could have this passion for every painting and weaving I do.
There are a number of things I love about this image. I love the light contrast. I love the almost monochromaticism, which admits just a few touches of color here and there. I love the geometry of it; the rectangles that dance around each other. I do know that it breaks the 'nothing smack in the center' rule, but that doesn't bother me. Sometimes I just have to break a rule or two! Mostly, I think I love the starkness of it; the obvious 'Arts and Crafts old house' look. That look requires the warm dim lighting and the starkness that I see here. (I also enjoyed painting one of my tapestries, "Aspen Autumn.")
Now I need a title. I have thought of "The Weaver's Hallway," "Light at the top of the Stairs," "Landing Light,"..... I don't like any of them. They all sound like something else. I usually have no trouble with titles. Another word for hallway or landing is 'threshold.' What about "The Threshold?" Or just "Morning light?" ( which is probably in the list of top title's for artwork, but maybe for good reason - artists like light!) I could call it "The Weaver's House 1," but that would presume there will be more in a series... and maybe there will be, but maybe not, too. I have been wanting to paint some interiors for quite some time.
Well, enough. If you have a good title suggestion, let me know! In the meantime I have more 'interior painting' to do; not in the studio, but in the dining room. Jim, the dry-waller, finished his part on the ceiling repair yesterday. I told my husband that I will "Sistine Chapel" it, and I think he's worried enough that I mean it to help (aka supervise) the job along.
The painting is 12x16" on canvas.
3 comments:
LOL, no good suggestions for the title, but the painting itself is wonderful. I love the rug, it pops for me. I can see myself walking on to it and looking at the tapestry on the wall.
Love it!
Is it a hallway or an entry hall? For some reason I think of a exterior door being to the left. The scene is rather welcoming which is why I went that way. But in another strain of welcoming light, I hear the word "home". Don't know if you can use that - then again I just retyped a line above and saw "Welcoming Light".
Kathy,
I think you titled it in your blog post containing the photos...
"A Small Obsession"
I think that conveys mystery and passionate involvement both. And that's what you've described as appealing to you in that view.
Or an even simpler title, of course, is "Home"
Beautiful painting, by the way. Very evocative of place in much the same way as some of Andrew Wyeth's interiors are.
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