My sister got married way back in 2003 and in 2004 she asked me to do a painting for her of one of their wedding photographs. Of course, this was a challenge I was not too keen to accept, but I did anyways.
So, years have gone by and I have been finding and losing the photograph numerous times. I eventually (fifteen years later!) decided to take on the project and started working on it. In acrylics… I hate working in acrylics because I have never properly worked in acrylics. For months the half-painted canvas was standing in my studio gathering dust – like everything else – and you get so accustomed to it being there you clean forget you are still working on it.
For the past couple of months, I was afraid to work on it, because how do you make this thing look real? How do you complete a painting for someone who is creative and does beautiful paintings themselves? Let’s just say it: I was afraid of being judged. I still am as I am posting this. But then, one random day I decided to let go of perfection. Salvador Dali said:
Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.
Salvador Dali
I took this to heart and decided to aim for completion instead. Since Mondays became art nights I managed to put my heart into it again. So here’s the brief: Please paint this picture for me.
And here’s the outcome: an imperfect non-realistic version.
I know there are minor things that still bother me, but I decided that I am done. No more touch-ups, no more working on it. I am off to Lydenburg in two weeks and the painting is going with as is. I really don’t hope my sister is reading my blog right now, because the outcome is a surprise.
I am super amped to do another imperfect painting in acrylics again, just to see if I can manage to do it again. I will keep you posted 😉
Yours in flawless flaws,
