Time Passing...

Who can't help but think about time during this season, when we turn the calendar page to a New Year? One saying about the benefit of time is that "Time heals all wounds". On a less metaphysical level-- perhaps more mundane, but nonetheless very beneficial for the practicing painter-- the passage of time often allows us to see, and therefore to correct, problems in our paintings.

I'm not an expert on how the human brain works. But I do know that it's very common to get "too close" to a painting--to be so wrapped up in the struggle that you lose sight of the way forward. In those cases, it's smart to put the painting away for a few days, and work on something different. No peeking! Miraculously, when you pull the painting back out,
you see it with fresh eyes. The solution that seemed so elusive a few days ago is now quite obvious. 

The technical term for this phenomenon is "incubation". I'm sure you've heard of it. Here's a simple definition: "a process of unconscious recombination of thought elements that were stimulated through conscious work at one point in time, resulting in novel ideas at some later point in time." Note that the passage of time is a key element in hatching the novel idea!

(c)  Carlos san Millan
Oil on Board

I was reminded of the incubation process at a recent workshop with the painter Carlos san Millan (whose work is pictured in this post). Carlos told us that "Patience is more important than Perseverance." An interesting thought. Some of us tend to persevere in a extended struggle, hour after hour, with a difficult passage in a painting. We can't step away. But if we have the patience to put the painting away when we feel stuck, and wait a while to revisit it, we will be rewarded. 

(c) Carlos san Millan
Oil on Board

I am also reminded of the saying "Drink no wine before its time." A fine wine is not drunk just after bottling. Rather, it is aged to achieve its fullest flavor. Likewise, a painting should not be rushed off the easel into the gallery. Much better to let it rest for a while, and gaze upon it over a period of time, so you can make any necessary corrections and be sure it's up to snuff. This contemplation period, after the painting is "finished", is an important part of my process. And it too requires patience. So here's to the cultivation of Patience in the New Year!