I find there’s something beautiful about painting quickly. It gives the work a sense of immediacy and freshness. There’s a certain energy that radiates from the work. The paintings are bold and make a statement. I like to challenge myself to develop a range of skills in my painting practice. Some pieces are tight and delicate, while others bold and loose—and some paintings a combination of the two.
I started a new series of quick and loose paintings. I set the timer for an hour, pick up my paint brush, and just go for it. There isn’t time to overthink. I just paint fast, quick and loose. I go with anything that comes to mind. The bolder the better. I’m feeling into the energy that I put on the paper. I’m painting over beautiful passages. I’m trying to save other ones. I keep going until the timer goes off. And then I stop.
It’s like a sprint to the finish line.
My next step is to look at the painting and slow down. I ease back into the piece with a gentle tone this time. I ask the painting if it’s done and where it would like to go. I work a bit slower and more thoughtfully. I don’t give myself a time limit. I just fall into the painting and get lost in a totally different way. It’s the opposite of how I start the piece. I keep going until the painting feels finished. It could take me five minutes or a few hours.
I like this contrast of working quickly and then slowly. The fast start gives the painting a solid base and infuses a lot of energy into the piece. The quieter layers after the initial rush feel necessary and calming. It’s like the painting winds down until it finally settles into its completed form.
These paintings are 14x17” on paper. I like this size for this exercise. The first piece I did had these bold white marks, multi-colored etched triangles, and soft blended spaces (see photo above). It had this energy and intensity that demanded attention. It made a statement. I posted the painting on Instagram and it did indeed “stop the scroll”. I loved the reactions to the painting. My favorite comment is always “wow”. That means that I hit the mark.
I’ve done six pieces so far in this series. Each painting is bold and fresh in its own way. I’m using acrylics along with oil pastels. I like the immediacy and definitive nature of making marks on the painting. I’m loving how fresh these paintings feel and how much energy they can deliver in a relatively small space. My goal for this series is to capture the energy that comes from painting quick and loose, while at the same time maintaining that elegant sophistication.