Finding the Theme

In December 2013, we asked to hear your resolutions about making time for creative projects. Adrienne Ognibene said she wanted to rediscover her talent for painting — and, without a home studio, she’d have to do it in the kitchen. Her goal is to create six paintings and twelve large-scale charcoal drawings.

June Update:

It’s crazy to think that we are approaching the halfway mark of this year. I have, finally, settled on a theme… for my paintings at least. My sister gave me the idea, even though I don’t think she realized it until now. I am going to do a seasonal painting of foliage and the sky for each season. I have spring done and some photos taken for my summer painting. I really like the way it is showing the different hues of the sky and a progression of time. I just wish I had thought of it on some of those good, gray, low sky February days.

(See a slideshow of Adrienne’s work below.)

Again I find myself most drawn to the soft vine charcoal. I think that will always be a favorite, if incredibly messy, medium for me. I haven’t really settled on a theme for the sketches and drawings, I’m taking more of a “whatever catches my interest” approach. I do love to travel, even just day trips, and always seems to get a lot of inspiration from that. One of my favorite drawings completed so far is of a stone staircase going down to the ocean my husband and I passed walking to a restaurant in Nassau, Bahamas. While I don’t have any travel as glamorous as a trip to the Caribbean planned in the near future, I do hope some travel this summer will translate into more artwork.

One thing I have become keenly aware of in this process is I am not 20 anymore. I find that I am neither inspired by the same subject matter nor as good at ignoring the chores and “to dos” piling up and just painting. I also don’t think I have the skill that I did when I was 20. Of course I also haven’t put in the hours like I did back then.

A really positive thing that I am very excited about which has come from this resolution is in September I am taking an intro course in blacksmithing. I credit getting back into a more creative mindset with the bravery to leap into a completely new area but I am really excited and hoping, if the course goes well, to enroll in some higher level course in sculpture next year.