The growth of an image and an artist
This painting has been an image that I keep coming back to. Sometimes a certain image just calls and calls until our skills catch up to the demands of the vision. Three years ago when I first worked on this piece I was so excited by what I achieved I actually cried with joy.
Fireflies Version One
This was a huge leap in growth and skill at the time. This was done in 2014 not long after I had been to the Illustration Master Class. I carried this around like my own personal Mona Lisa for over a year.
Then I decided I had to do this again. A larger better drawn and critiqued image. I was participating in an online critique group and they seriously helped me to improve this image until it was the strongest piece I had yet done. A solid and professional eye is invaluable in helping me develop my own judgement and I was so fortunate to have such good artists helping me with this! I decided to complete the painting for another project and again, I hit a whole new level of skill with this new version. It became my new and improved Mona Lisa.
Fireflies Version Two
Oh I am still very proud of this one! However I knew I wasn’t finishing it. This is a case where I got too attached to the place it was in and not having the courage to dive in and finish it. I have since done some truly lovely and ambitious pieces since this one and knew it was time to really do this piece justice.
I pulled it out, studied the color palette, studied my references, thought hard about what I wanted to achieve then gathered my courage, stuffed my ego in a box and chucked it in a corner…
Fireflies Version Three
And achieved what this piece had always intended to be. I can finally put this to rest. I still have so far to go – the wonderful thing about art is you never stop growing – but this is an achievement not just in skill, but in a changed attitude toward my work. The first version was a constant frustration and the tears I cried were mostly of relief that I finally got something to work. This final version was a joy because I now have a confidence, and mentor who is mercilessly encouraging, and three more years of practice and work under my belt.
Fireflies is finally home. I can move on now.