July 15, 2015

Night Owls, Haiku and Imperfection as Truth.

Night Owls 18 x 18 Oil  $950 unframed    ©2015 deb kirkeeide
The vast bowl of sky
Embraces indigo dreams
Guardians stand watch


Where has all my focus gone?
....long time passing. 
Sounds a bit like a Peter, Paul and Mary song doesn't it?

This is another painting that I seem to have been working on bit by bit over a long period of time.
Flitting back and forth between multiple projects.  More exploration in textures and approaches, composition and acceptance.

Imperfection as Truth
I mentioned in an earlier post that I was having a hard time finishing things. Part of that was due to this self imposed notion of perfection.

I certainly won't argue that there is never room for improvement. As we continually evolve in our experience and practice, our skills improve. But it seems to be essential to be accepting of where we are in that particular moment of our expression. Let's face it, some days are better than others and many factors come into play that effect the outcome.

And then there is this ideal of our perceived definition of what is perfection.

There are often times when a sketch inspires me to fully realize it as a painting. I love the sketch but occasionally something gets lost in translation. Many times I find I like WIP’s (my own and others) more appealing than the finished piece. After thinking about this I determined that the “imperfect” sketch was the moment of truth. It was honest, spontaneous and pure in its energy. It is the soul of the painting.

To me, that is perfection.

I think as humans, we have this innate need to strive for perfection in hopes that others will see and accept us. (okay, maybe it's just me) We want to fit in. But is perfection really necessary? Isn’t this 
so-called imperfection what makes us so unique?

Of course this is only my own opinion, but I am finding it to be a useful tool in removing some unnecessary stress lately.  By allowing myself to let go of the outcome, I find more freedom to explore and experiment and change my mind.
 

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