finding serenity

This was a technically challenging painting. There were so many layers, additions, deletions and things gone both right and wrong that it made my head spin. I'm not talking about mounting, elevation or hardware. Rather, the tough task was marrying the intellectual content to the medium. 

Acrylic is fabulous for playtime. (Weeeeeee!) For me, this means hours of happy brush splattering, hardware experimenting, skin pinching and gel mixing goofing around - which comes with failed attempts to communicating my thoughts. (ooh, look at that shiny bit there, sniff that fresh paper here, imagine the prickliness of that thingy - oh wait - that's not the pretty thought that was in my head, hahaha). It's all good - such is the learning path with many projects in life. I just wish it didn't take as long sometimes. Buddha would say something along the lines of: "It'll take as long as it takes. Go play with your son. You will continue tomorrow." 

The result was wonderful. As notes of a yummy Chopin piece trickled out of the stereo, the branches in my painting happily connected with a thin line of passion. Hence the red strip to crown it. For love. And, as the painting moved from infancy to being able to fly on its own, I bought it a ticket to Toronto. It was showcased at the Love Art Affair.

(detail above, for entire image please contact me)

caressing the mind

A soothing break for the mind
A graceful dance, low in the sky
A gentle nudge for a deep breath
Kissed by silver and bits of gold

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Nikol Haskova Studio

anticipation

With gorgeous sights, sounds and most importantly, scents of spring everywhere, I wanted to celebrate the luscious pregnancy of the season. While there is a breathtaking beauty to everything in bloom, I was after a different kind of loveliness. 

The kind that is in between winter and blossom, waiting, seemingly quietly, like a girl next door. Unlike the femme fatale of cherry blossom and magnolia blooms, she appears innocent.

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Nikol Haskova Studio

bending

For blossoms

For newness

For love

Nikol Haskova Studio

Put that failure on a shelf

I worked hard on this one. Changed it quite a few times. Added a brushstroke when I got up in the middle of the night. Thought about it over breakfast. Finally, I thought it was done.

I proudly showed it to my husband. A long, silent, torturous pause. I knew it right then. It wasn't done. Worse, it was awful. The words no artist wants to hear didn't need to be said.

But, of course, my husband said them anyway, bless his soul. In his view, it wasn't awful, but rather "creepy". Yep. SLASH goes a searing hot knife into my tender creative heart. Well, he continued. "If you were trying to depict a haunted forest, you succeeded". SMACK goes a massive imaginary hand across my forehead.

Needless to say, he was right. Which is exactly why I asked him. I wanted honesty. I may have wished for it to be served on a pretty saucer and wrapped in lace, but that has never been his way. I don't mind when he doesn't like certain paintings. He rarely praises my studio accomplishments, but when he does, it's better than getting a curator's nod of approval.

It wasn't that he thought it was a poorly done painting. I did. Because it failed to deliver the sentiment. The title was "Winter Sleep" and it was to be a soft and dreamy study of the wait for spring. The piece now occupies the highest drying shelf in the studio so I don't have to look at it. When I'm no longer pissed off at it, I'll complete it to my satisfaction. Meanwhile, I'm working on a painting titled "Vader".

Thank you, my love, for helping me grow. I don't always like the process, but I'm ever so grateful for the end result. I'll play the sweet, tender CD you gave me when I return to the aforementioned work in progress.

all senses seduced

In love with life, Violet was taking slow steps down a dusty path. With a sweet song serenading her mind and scrumptious sweet bits underfoot, she could not imagine the day getting any better. And then... 

Nikol Haskova Studio

dreamland

Prelude in C Major