M.E. BAILEY ART: The Value of "Wasting Paint and Paper"

I am a risk taker. That is to say at times I commit to risky acts that might make life uncomfortable if I fail to succeed in the risky act.

Several weeks ago, I attended a big watercolor portrait demonstration in which Christopher Schink, Myrna Wacknov and David Lobenberg would each be separately painting a portrait of the same model . . . and all were doing it simultaneously. Schink suggested that Me and Myrna and He do a similar demo in the south Bay Area. Off handedly, I said "Sure, let's do it! That would be fun!"

You may know most of my work, dear reader, as landscape painting and, occasionally, non objective work in watercolor. Portraits?? Are you kidding? Not me. I mean NOT A CHANCE IN HELL !!

So, I made my bed. I am in trouble. Rather than chicken out, I made a promise to myself that I would start in making portraits and figure paintings ASAP. What I know about myself is that if I am under pressure to perform, I will cram / study to learn what I need to learn and rehearse / practice until I can, at least, hold my own . . . .or, at least, give it the old "college try."

To date, I have painted somewhere near 20 full blown paintings and done a ton of drawings at my local Art League with nude figures. I sure found out in a hurry that I didn't know what I didn't know!! So, now I know what I don't know. And I am scrambling to learn and to practice what I am learning. Yes, practice. I am, what some would say, wasting lots of paint and paper. That is, making paintings, critiquing them for ways to improve (my gawd, you should have seen the first ten!) then throwing them away and beginning anew each time. And I am not messing around with cheap paper or small formats. I am painting on 300lb rough, full sheets . . . ( and hoping for the best!!)

I have learned a few things in my painting career . . . . one is to LET GO! . . . .Forget the details . . . get in there and paint as though this were the most fun thing I have ever done. Have fun and experiment. Act like there is no "show down" and try some different stuff. Every painting is a lesson! So, Mike. Paint like there is no tomorrow and L E A R N !!

The painting above is a portrait of my dear, patient wife, Diana, who has posed for me numerous times . . . and her sister has, too . . .just to throw in variety. I must say, with that open minded attitude about doing, virtually, anything along the way in order to learn is really paying off.

It is June 20 and my 'performance date' is July 18. This painting has given me more confidence that I can do just about anything I want, technique wise, and get away with it, if I have the basis of a good design. So, there is where the work is being put in . . .design and composition.