Take me to the river
Drop me in the water
Art is an ocean
I don’t know why I love you like I do
All the trouble you put me through
Some days things are a little rough in the studio.
We’re on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Maybe you wonder where you are
And its alright baby, it’s alright
When things become a bit surreal, I may as well go with it.
And you may tell yourself this is not my beautiful painting
And you may ask yourself how did I get here
You may ask yourself, how do I work this
You may ask yourself, where is that beautiful painting
Seems all my work goes through phases.
I’m checking them out
I’m checking them out
I got it figured out
It’s only the river; it’s only the river
It's just part of the process, part of the flow of it all.
And in all fairness to these paintings,
none of them were involved in today's
long deep breath/sigh in the studio.
When I'm having one of those days in the studio I try all kinds of things to break out of it. Putting on the Talking Heads is a favorite. So with apologies and thanks to them I have borrowed their lyrics and changed them slightly to fit the situation.
ReplyDeleteDo you have those kind of days in the studio? If so, how to you carry on?
I like this a lot, Leslie, and I can just hear it in my mind. Mama said there'd be days like this.
ReplyDeleteYeah, mama did say that, didn't she? Even when you want it most.
ReplyDeleteLove the Talking Heads :)
ReplyDelete(and your artwork of course...)
Like your new work Leslie.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of those kind of days! Lately I've started telling myself that something deep inside me knows what to do. This is kind of like sweet talk and beats what I usually tell myself when things aren't going the way "I" like.
ReplyDeleteSuperb images Leslie, I just love the hints of yellow ochre here and there. I have been procrastinating over making a start to a painting for more than a week but having seen you work I am determined to get out ther and slap some paint on. Now.
ReplyDeleteLove the talking heads lyrics! Rivers are in my head at the moment after my trip away.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, great work, and yes I have those days too!
ReplyDeleteMaking a cup of coffee, sitting in my chair, and really staring down the work in silence often helps me.
I've always loved that Talking Heads song, it's bang on target isn't it? And now I have a whole new perception of you, Leslie, to complement that one of the peaceful, silent, zen kind of person. What a contrast to think of you with Talking Heads on full blast!
ReplyDeleteIt's always reassuring to know that other artists have those sort of days though I wouldn't have guessed it by the work you produced! I had a horrible hate-my-work kind of day on Saturday. My strategy is to remind myself that a bad day means a good one is coming :) Sunday was better!
It is good to acknowledge these days happen - and move on. So many folks look at other artists and think they must never have that kind of studio day - but we all have them - and David Byrne is just the guy to sing you through it!
ReplyDeleteLAM - so true - we start with an inspiration and wonder how we arrived at where we finished - sometimes to the good and sometimes ..... May we continue to take the risk and create as though it was for no-one's eyes but our own. B
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie, you seem to be on a river theme these days, too- love it! The song was a perfect match for your paintings here, and I like the way you changed the words to fit. I kept thinking- I don't remember that; are those words in the song/ lol... We all have those days, though I thought these had great potential- sometimes this can be part of the 'birthing' phase. Great post.
ReplyDeleteits a bit like getting to Carnegie Hall, really. sometimes it helps to just practise scales...
ReplyDeleteI love the last one esp.!
ReplyDeleteYour music play caught my attention...but I am also getting some Annie Lenox (i lover her take tme to the river)and a few lines from U2 (Its all right, baby...its all right :off zoo station I think)
seems the more you "try" the more one is outside of that zone that knows and flows... i felt rather "kidnapped" the other day into some writing landscape that was very deep and strange to enter and now I am going back to it, and i will sing U2's Its all right.... all the way into its world.
;) Thanks Leslie
Wonderful creations
ReplyDelete~love how artfully said!
ReplyDelete(and feeling it down to
my atoms and cells:))
-Jennifer
As you have figured out by now ALL artists - the good ones anyway- have to go through the monumental struggle from time to time-- the bad days mixed in with the good days- it means they are searching and growing. These all look like they came out of the good days.
ReplyDeleteWhat's it all about, Leslie? Life is just a bowl of cherries... don't take it serious, life's too mysterious.
ReplyDeleteAs long as you can sing your way through the rough days and look at the good-day paintings for reassurance you know you'll be back in the flow before too long.
ReplyDeleteIt is a process. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSometimes "those" days seem to run together. I go to the hot wax (encaustic). It's a pleasure just to work with and takes me out of the slump.
ReplyDeleteWonderful images as always, Leslie!
what a great post, I can hear the song resonating as I read! Hope you are back on track
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of the Talking heads and on your works Leslie!
ReplyDeletegreat Post!
So good to find a song that sings you through tough times in the studio! Leonard Cohen, Annie Lenox and Laurie Anderson help me and sometimes the classics just soothe the disappointments.
ReplyDeleteGreat work....great post!
It's nice to visit you again Leslie. I love the bottom image on this post and your sketch book below.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Leslie. Such a creative way to express and share 'those' moments.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, I have days like that and just keep reminding myself that "it is what it is".
ReplyDeleteSaying that yesterday felt a like I was working a little magic!
Katrina
Thanks everyone. I know we all have days like these!
ReplyDelete