Carrying On with Small Paintings

 I've been on a flower and cactus kick lately.  Here are some of the results.  All are 6"x6" and are acrylics on paper.  

"Poppies"

"Small Things"

"Bromeliad"

Trying Something Different

Although I've been away from blogging in the past few months, I have kept busy with painting.  Here are a few of my most recent works.  Thank you to Carol Marine and her book Daily Painting for giving me just the nudge I needed to get painting small and often! 

These are all in acrylics and are 6" x 6".  

"Peppers"

"Calla Lily in Glass"

"Sunflowers"

Going for Grit ...And What I Learned from Angela Duckworth

Watercolor portrait of Angela Duckworth, author of Grit

Not long ago I heard an interview on NPR with researcher and psychology professor Angela Duckworth.  Author of the bestselling book Grit, Duckworth talked about what she means by the word "grit" and why it is more important than talent in high achievers.

I went out and got a copy of the book right away and it's quickly risen to the top of my favorites list.  Since one the things I enjoy doing is painting portraits of various heroes of mine, I eagerly took on the challenge of painting Angela.  You can see the process of my painting in stages below and read on to find out why her findings on grit hold promise for anyone wanting to pursue a dream.

Pencil Sketch - Angela Duckworth

In a nutshell, Duckworth defines grit as a combination of passion and perseverance.  While she maintains someone's innate talent can give them a leg up in their chosen field, it is ultimately enthusiasm (or passion) combined with hours and hours of practice (perseverance), that propels a person to the top of their game.  

The good news? Whatever amount of grit you have now, Duckworth maintains you can improve upon it.

In Process

Here are a few chosen quotes that illustrate Duckworth's points. (And if you don't have the time or inclination to read her book, check out her TED Talk on YouTube and some of the other videos where she's interviewed.)

     "Failure is not a permanent condition."

"People who succeed fail all the time."

"Gritty people  have a growth mindset: when bad things happen,

they don't give up."

"Why were the highly accomplished so dogged in their pursuits?  For

most, there was no realistic expectation of ever catching up to their 

ambitions.  In their own eyes, they were never good enough.  ...Even

if some of the things they had to do were boring, or frustrating, or even

painful, they wouldn't dream of giving up.  Their passion was enduring."

The Final Version

As for myself, while I love painting, I still have times of extreme frustration with a particular piece.  In fact, it's fair to say that I usually experience frustration with every painting I do.   It's heartening to read about masters in all areas who just keep at it, and while they have high standards, their failures don't deter them.  They just keep on going.

That's What He Said....Picasso

From My Sketchbook -- Ink and Watercolor

In his own words:

     "Unless your work gives you trouble, it is no good."

Postit Portrait

     "I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else."

Another Postit Portrait

     "I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."

Sketch of Albert and Some of His Wisdom

From My Sketchbook
Albert Einstein in Watercolor  Pencils,  Ink,  and Watercolors

I never knew much about Albert Einstein.  Just learned that he was a pacifist and, towards the end of his life, a vegetarian.  Here are a few thought-provoking quotes from him:  (I especially like the one about the fish!)
  

     "The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from 

     those who actually commit it."

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      "Everybody is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will 

      live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

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      "Creativity is intelligence having fun." 

                                
(Click image to enlarge.)

More Postit Portraits

Artist David Hockney on  3" x 3" Postit Note
Ink and Colored Pencils

Artist David Hockney on 3" x 3" Postit Note
Ink and Colored Markers

After hearing an interview with the artist David Hockney on NPR's Morning Edition recently, I decided to do a couple of sketches of him.  The Tate Britain just opened a 60-year retrospective of his works.  The show will later travel to the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  ...You can listen to Susan Stamberg's  interview with Hockney at the NPR website.  And if you like paintings of swimming pools and people in or near them, be sure to check out Hockney's "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)".

The sketches below are unrelated, they're just what I felt like doing at the moment!

Trying New Supplies

"Thoughtful Man" - Ink and Watercolor Pencils  on Paper
6 1/4" x 9"

It's always fun to play with new art supplies.  Here are some images from my recent experimentation with watercolor pencils (above), Winsor & Newton watercolor markers (below), and Tombow water-based brush pens (also below). 

"Thoughtful Man in Blue" - Winsor & Newton  Watercolor Marker on Paper
6 1/4" x 9"

What was especially enjoyable about using this blue watercolor marker from Winsor & Newton was taking a paintbrush wet with plain water to wet the blue lines after the original drawing was done.  The wet brush allows for the creation of different shades of blue, thus making a very simple drawing more complex.  And the bit of uncertainty of the process, not knowing exactly how the blue marks will run and fade is quite fun!

"Untitled"
Tombow Water-based Brush Pens and Winsor & Newton Watercolor Marker on Post-It Note
3" x 3"

Click any image to enlarge.

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Note: As of today, "A Path with Paint" is moving to a new publishing schedule.  Instead of biweekly postings, posts will now be published as the art spirit moves me!

As always, I enjoy and appreciate your support.  Your comments are welcome. You may email me directly for purchases and commissions: janecobb123@gmail.com.