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Sunday, May 16, 2010

what's next?

I've just returned from a 2 week holiday to Amsterdam, Normandy and Paris.  The purpose of the trip was to get closer to Rembrandt, and come back with more subject ideas for future paintings.  Well, I sure accomplished what I set out to!  In all, I took 3217 pictures (thank God for digital!!).  I have enough ideas to keep me busy for a few years.  I walked through Rembrandt's house, languished in his studio, examined his easel (probably a replica though), and went back in time.  The paintings at the Rijks Museum were  beyond words... the Rembrandts, Vermeers and other Dutch artists were so inspiring.  The Van Gogh Museum was pretty amazing too, showing his contemporaries who inspired him.  Then I saw Monet's huge water lilies at Orangerie - interesting from an artists perspective.  Pretty rough looking at them close up, but from a distance they sure have the effect his was working for.
So the big question is... what will I paint next?!!  I feel quite overwhelmed at the moment, and have gone over the pictures to organize them into folders to make it more manageable.  I don't want to just copy the photos though, but create the atmosphere I felt with each one, using techniques from the masters that I observed.  I guess you'll just have to wait to see what I present next!!  ;)
I also have gardening to do - lots of weeds got ahead while I was away, and I'm on the garden tour this year... just a month away.


This is how I feel right now, small and overwhelmed, dwarfed by a multitude of ideas... just like I'm dwarfed by this huge column at the Grand Palais of Paris.