Daily Painting.

So I’m going to use this blog as an alternative to instagram in a way. I‘m having a lot of issues with instagram. Well, not just me but all of the artists I know. Instagram stated this summer that they were no longer a “photo sharing app” and that they were going to be focusing more on reels, entertainments and video. I understand this move, that’s where a younger audience can be found like those who love Tik Tok dancing! And to be honest I often find myself scrolling memes and reels on instagram rather than going through my entire feed of the amazing artists that I follow to see if they’ve posted anything new.

However I’m not sure where that leave us 2D, non video, artists. I think many of us have fallen into the trap of using only instagram for showing our artwork. Facebook can seem like a dumpster fire. Websites are more difficult to update. Twitter does not have a handy portfolio page to display art work. I read again and again how important it is to have your own website and keep it updated. I think maybe it will be fun to go back to blogging, like we all were around 2008!

With that being said, I have recently been painting with a bit of a different goal in mind. I’ve been focusing on the surface of the painting. On the thick paint, more expressive brushwork, and texture. I’m not sure if this is just a phase, or if I’ll keep leaning into it and trying to push it onto bigger more complex paintings. At the moment if been playing with small works on loose canvas or or on oil paper.

Pink and Purple Clouds, Oil on Paper, 5x7inches

These clouds were lots of fun, and I’m sure this thick paint will take ages to dry. How do you impasto painters do it? You must have to wait weeks for paintings like this to be dry to the touch.

Key River Rocks and Scrub, Oil on Canvas, 8x8 inches

This is another example, and I was happy at being able to have some abstract areas and leave them alone without “fixing” them or “finishing” them. It’s not perfect, I can see lots of things to try again, and to try differently. But for now I am having fun with these and I’ll post them on my etsy account. Joczech.etsy.com and hopefully they’ll sell and help me buy some new paint to keep trying this impasto work with!