Offering
by Jan Helton
Upon publishing this painting, I received a very nice comment from one of my supporters, followed by an interesting question: "How much LOVE do you put in your paint?"
How Much Love?
Of course, we've all heard about adding a dash of love to a recipe, so I googled "what does it mean to add love to a recipe?"
Chris L from The Dancing Cucumber describes it like this:
"In all the different things we do in life, a person is given a choice. Are they going to do the bare minimum, or are they going to go above and beyond?”
He adds:
"...However, while doing the bare minimum can technically produce good results, these results are fake and devoid of love and passion. When you do a task out of love and not out of requirement, you go above and beyond. You take an interest in the little things. You put in the extra hours to ensure that the final result is exactly how you want it to be (emphasis mine). In conclusion, putting love into a recipe isn't something that can be quantifiably measured-and yet it's also the very thing that makes a good recipe great."
Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.
~Marc Chagall
So what exactly does it mean to add love to my paintings? (The paint itself doesn't get the love, it just helps me to express it!)
Bird Watching.
Watching the birds and trying to capture them with my camera as they come to the feeders or enjoy the berries on the trees is exciting for me, even when the odds of getting a good shot are against me (due to things like low lighting or the constant movement typical of our feathered friends). Taking 1,000 photos to get a dozen good reference photos is a labor of love.
People Watching.
Eva (pictured below) is an example of the fun I have finding unique subjects and poses for painting. Eva is four years old, and I met her in Las Vegas during last month's visit. It took her about ten minutes to warm up to me (the homemade cookies helped) and the next 24 hours were a whirlwind of little girl action. It wasn't long before she was my new mini model! There will be more paintings of her in the future.
Preparing the Drawing.
Preparing the drawing requires an attention to detail and a careful examination of the subject, whether you are tracing or projecting or drawing freehand. The time spent here promotes an even stronger emotional connection to the subject.
Because I paint from photographs, the bare minimum (a hasty sketch or outline) will not produce an adequate framework for my style of painting.
Painting.
By the time I've dipped my brush into paint, I've already invested quite a bit of love into the piece. This is where that love is tested! Just like having children, there will be ups and downs, but the result
is (usually) worth it! Some pieces require more thought and a few time-outs, others seem to paint themselves.
During the painting stage I think a lot about the subject - what it seems to be saying to me and what it is I want to express - again, strengthening the emotional connection.
Every painting may not be "show-worthy," but every painting teaches me something that can be carried forward to the next piece.
How Much Love?
To answer Gary's question, I'd say every step of my process is infused with love - exactly how much is difficult to say, but hopefully it's enough that you can find it in each and every watercolor that I create!
Paint. Love. Repeat.