Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Being Idle:Being Present

"Presence" by Jim Carpenter, Mixed Media on Crescent Board, 20" x 10"

"He abandons all possessions...and takes to the road. He is a holy figure, admired." 

The Challenge: Painting and Being Idle


I spent the day today not painting. I was having such a good time being idle that I considered not going into the studio, and then, late in the afternoon I thought I would give it a go. It was raining and I thought I'd not be able to photograph anything I might actually finish up. But I'd at least make an attempt to paint to honor my commitment to the 30 day challenge.  

I grabbed a landscape that I had worked on about a year ago. I had been experimenting with various acrylic mediums and collaged papers on crescent board. I liked the surface and the palette of this one but it just was not working as a landscape. I thought I'd try again. And again, no surprise here, I started working on it and in a matter of seconds I began to see the figures. And I really had no time to argue with the if I wanted to get my painting done for the day. And besides, I really liked what I was seeing. Why hadn't I seen them before?  

To be truly idle, I think one has to be present. Hodgkinson is writing here about the "ramble," the walk in which one is present to the walking. "Taking To The Road" might be the subtitle for this painting.  


6 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this Jim. All of that glorious texture, the cracks, the bits of light. A hint of a crucifix, a slice of moon. I keep going back to look again.

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  2. This is very striking! I love the vertical orientation.

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  3. Very striking piece. Your getting to the studio to paint this was quite fortuitous.

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    1. Thank you, Carol, for bringing me back to this piece.

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