Musings About Art, Horses, Life and Writing

This is an old blog post from October 2008 from my old blog. I hope you enjoy it.

We spent a long weekend at our family getaway near Atlanta, Michigan this past weekend, but before we left, I caught site of the scene above from my studio window. Five swans came out of the early morning mist, the sun shining on them like specters on the lake. They spotted me in the window and immediately swam over looking for a handout, which I know better than to provide. 

After loading up and saying goodbye to the cats, we headed for Atlanta on another spectacular day of warm sunshine and fall colors. Saturday dawned sunny, warm and still so I took a walk around the pond with my camera and captured as much as I could for memories and paintings to come. 

My parents-in-law bought this property in the 1950's for hunting, but the family gathered here frequently over the years for holidays and snowmobiling, and eventually the folks retired here. We spent our honeymoon here and used to take long walks in the woods before kids, so it has a very special place in my heart. 

When they first bought the property, this is the shack that the folks, my husband and his brother stayed in when they came up to plant and tend the hundreds of tiny pine trees that were planted on the bare hills. A pond was dug and stocked with fish, and not too many years later, a mobile home replaced the shack. It was added to over the years to accommodate the growing family of wives and grandchildren. 

The years have since taken their toll on the old shack whose additions have now fallen down or caved in. It has a melancholy look now as if it holds memories of much better days and people whom we can only wonder about. Such abandoned shacks are pretty common around the northern Michigan woods, and one always wonders what stories they could tell about their former inhabitants. Now they are left to the skunks, raccoons and other wild creatures who find bits of shelter in their dilapidated ruins.

This is a post from last April on my old blog at www.karenbakerthumm.blogspot.com. I hope you enjoy it. 

I guess by now it's no secret that I've been in a bit of a creative slump for some time now. There is no need to dredge up the reasons for said slump; something akin to airing one's dirty laundry in public; so we'll just proceed as if there hasn't been one.

This little painting was recently completed and is now in an art show at a local restaurant. I started it several years ago as just a quick study, worked on it a little last Fall, but then holiday duties took precedence and it was set aside - again. After that came end of year business tasks and then tax season which left the little painting once again languishing on the studio wall.

Several weeks ago I was asked to donate art to an art show benefit event for the animal rescue from which we adopted our dogs two years ago. I jumped at the chance and immediately thought of the lamb painting which was sure to be an appealing image that would hopefully earn some much-needed funds for the rescue. Down from the wall came the painting and onto the easel it went.

Where I started to finish the painting

Now, many artists will tell you that most paintings have their difficult moments during creation when nothing seems to be working and the artist considers junking the whole project. Being an artist is not all Fun and Games as the general public seems to think. But once in a while a painting almost paints itself. The studio is in harmonious abandon, and there is much joy in the heart of the artist.

Such was the case with this little painting. The lamb was partly painted already so I proceeded  to finish it while making a few corrections as I went. Even the corrections went smoothly. I didn't have to wipe out and redo any troublesome areas.

All the while I had no idea how I was going to finish the background. Should I leave it as an unfinished toned area or should I try for a full landscape? Up until the very minute I started on the background I wasn't sure what to do. Taking a risk, I decided to try for a full background and see how it went. After all, I could wipe it out if it didn't work.

Wonder of wonders, the background practically painted itself! At every moment it told me what it needed, and when it was done the result was very pleasing and complementary to the lamb. Over all, I am very pleased with this painting, the first one I've finished in a very long time.

Close up of the lamb

I think my creative block has finally broken, and I'm ready to move forward once again. Perhaps that polar bear I started last year? That should be a challenge!