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Painting the Moody Blues

Carol Allen Anfinsen

Blog #212 of 330

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May 13th, 2011 - 01:58 PM

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Painting the Moody Blues

The model for my new painting has a delightful personality and more moods than “Carter has pills.” (Boy does that date me!) I’ve used her before, and hope that her mother, and grandmother, will allow me to paint this wonderful child again.

When I saw a bored photo of her, I knew I wanted to capture her moody countenance on canvas. Cool colors like blue, purple, and gray can capture this mood. I knew that contrasting warm colors, especially complementary colors, would heighten tension and interest.

As we all know, if you wait until you’re in the mood to start something, you probably won’t. If your performance depends on mood alone, then your skill and preparation mean nothing.

Discipline requires an artist or any professional to keep going regardless of how you feel. Performance requires self-confidence and faith in yourself. If you make yourself “go through the motions,” even when you don’t feel like it, your “e-motions” will soon catch up. It’s hard to maintain a negative mood when your body is moving, and your blood is flowing.

When life gets rough (and it usually does), I simply put one foot in front of the other and keep going until the chaos, the trauma, the problem or mood passes. The familiarity of the brush, the sweep of colorful paint on canvas pulls me from my slump and into the world of imagination.

Trust in yourself and in your God or higher power. Trust builds strength. Strength overcomes weakness. The present weight that darkens your spirit will fade like clouds on a summer day. The sunshine in your soul will shine again.

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