New painting: Pescadero Beach 11×14″ (worth the wait)

March 29, 2012 at 6:04 am 7 comments

Pescadero Beach by Barbara J Carter, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 11×14″ (frame 17×20″).

I started this painting last year, but abandoned it halfway through.

What happened was I started working on a very similar scene in a much larger format. The larger painting took over. It was so much more dramatic than the small one. The little one seemed unnecessary, redundant. I set it aside.

In fact, I thought about destroying it. It was just a smaller version of a very successful big painting. It wasn’t going to be anything but a lesser copy. And I hate copying myself.

But I couldn’t bring myself to trash it. So I set it aside. I turned it to face the wall and ignored it. It sat there for months.

Time does a funny thing. What seemed like a “copy” then, now seems like a different take on a similar theme. Enough time has passed for it to become its own painting: a small window onto a similar scene, but with its own unique take.

I hauled it out and finished it this month. I’m extraordinarily pleased with it. Sometimes it just takes a little time to find the right approach.

Purchase information here.

Entry filed under: Acrylic, Landscape, Painting, Pescadero, Pointillism.

Art LA Contemporary 2012 My art shows in 2012

7 Comments

1. crazybasenji | March 29, 2012 at 6:34 am

It really is different from the larger painting. More cool colors. I’m glad you finished it. I think this happens a lot with art and with other creative efforts. When you look at something after some time has passed, you see it with different eyes and it almost always looks better than you first thought. Congratulations.
2. barbarajcarter | March 29, 2012 at 7:00 am

Thanks “crazy,” I appreciate your stopping by! Yes, time gives us fresh eyes. I use it as my secret ingredient in my art all the time. Just letting things sit and marinate for a while can make all the difference.
3. kathy cupp | March 29, 2012 at 9:20 am

Hi Barbara
This is fabulous. I’m so happy you let your brain noodle rather than trash this.
Looking forward to catching up with you this coming summer.
K
4. barbarajcarter | March 29, 2012 at 11:10 am

Thanks Kathy, I’m happy I did too! My show schedule is a bit up in the air, but I’ll definitely be in Thousand Oaks in June and Kings Mountain in September.
5. knieling2012 | May 11, 2012 at 7:18 pm

I real like the effect of the larger spots of color.
6. Michael-Che Swisher | September 15, 2012 at 3:22 pm

Just beautiful! I love it!
- 7. barbarajcarter | September 21, 2012 at 2:18 pm
  
  Thanks Che! And many thanks to my repeat collector who snapped it up immediately!

Barbara J Carter