Just A Couple of Boats

This is the painting I did in Brisbane of the boats. I am quite proud of the individual parts of this scene but disappointed with its composition. It was a really nice sight from a bench in Brissies Botanic gardens, but on canvas its just a painting of a couple boats. From the book I am reading I have learned that I need to find a way of portraying to the viewer what originally caught my eye in the scene. I need to find a way to place you in my shoes seeing the boats the way I saw them. Someday I hope to obtain this skill...

As our time on Russell Island passed, I began to grow more fond of the place. Our day off from hard work wwoofing shook the stubbornness out of my step allowing me to appreciate Russell for the first time. Unfortunately I had forgotten my camera charger back in Sydney so I wasn't able to photograph the beautiful sights we saw while kayaking through mangroves and around the islands. I decided a few little sketches would have to suffice in the cameras absence. Amongst the sketches were a few pretty good compositions that I was planing to paint later, however within the first couple of days after sketching I had forgotten much of the detail I intended to paint. Through this misfortune I learned that a scene wont stay fresh in your mind forever--which sounds a bit obvious,but... Quite frankly, I could always paint the scene from the picture I sketched, be it a week or a year prior. But its the glow, that initial attraction causing me to say, "I want to paint this!" that is soon forgotten. Losing track of this glow is what causes a nice maritime scene to come out just a couple of boats. Next time I'll have to take better notes to help freshen the scene in my mind or paint a little closed to the time of my sketches.

Everett and I have found ourselves back in Sydney after 3 weeks of traveling the coast. It was a short trip but quite a good one! The first thing on my agenda is to find a job because I now only have $17 in the bank. I have played around with the idea of selling my work at markets and putting it up in coffee shops but I'm not too sure at the moment. I have a feeling of shyness that I sure most Artists have felt before they sell their first piece and officially make their self known in the art world. But more so, I feel like most of my works so far have been an oil sketch or rough draft that I never get around to finalizing--A precursor with no sequel. Don't get me wrong though, I have learned heaps and improved from each painting I've done, but I don't feel like I have really completed one yet. Each could use a bit of this or a bit of that. Maybe I am just being hard on myself and maybe my paintings would sell. I guess when it comes down to it, I will never know what might turn out unless I take the chance. So, I guess we'll see.