Jumping into Even…January One

Jumping into Even by Cathy Hegman 40 x 40 beginning stage

A brand new year and a brand new painting has begun.  I worked through most of the  holiday season and was able to take a more lengthy approach to my work.  All the little monkeys in my head were at rest or on vacation, and I was able to really think about my work and the direction of my art without the tugs of deadlines and commitments looming over me.

The new painting, “Jumping into Even”, is painted with acrylic on cradled wood panel.  The intent is multifaceted for me,  I will not go into the personal dynamics of it; but  I will will hint at it, by saying,  I find more and more there was a form of  wisdom in being a child, that I have to search for as an adult.  The design intent is simple; as in most of my work,  a  solitary figure  that is in the act of jumping. I have, in the past done several paintings where the figure was in the act of falling ,or in a transitional stage of falling, so this is not that distant from some of my previous paintings and is akin to almost all of them.  My art tends to reflect my past, in this painting it is about childhood memories and how they translate into adult life for me.  The very act of jumping is elevating and freeing oneself of the bonds of gravity,if only briefly there is something very empowering about it. Balance is a constant muse for me and there is something of a balancing that goes on while jumping, so it seems to meld into recent series of works.   The figure in this piece while it seems very thoughtlessly painted, was anything but thoughtless, I lay awake at night thinking of how I wanted this figure to appear.  My aim was to incorporate a figure that would be able to translate the embodiment of freedom to and for anyone.  The upper portion of the figure gave me the most problems as the process of painting began. I had it drawn exactly as I wanted it but I knew, I would lose it as I painted, and indeed I did.  This happens often with my work, the beginning drawing is lost; but, it always ends up that in loosing it I find the real intent in my work.  The drawing is simply the bones, that must be covered to have life.

Jumping into Even Cathy Hegman day *note the upper body has changed its attitude..three

  I am  working with a limited palette and mixing the paints in an effort to make  neutral hues and using only a few colorful contrasts in order to stage the neutrals.  I was at first intent on covering most of the salmon or pinkish tones but as I have worked on this piece I found each time I layered over them, I realized they were crucial to the design of the painting and must be included.

Jumping into Even third day of work..changed the upper portion of the figure to give it the attitude I felt it needed..

Jumping into Even by Cathy Hegman

There is something about this painting that is inherent and completely copacetic for me, it is complete metaphor for how I feel right now,as the holidays come to a close. I would love to be free of all the anxieties and grips the world has on me, even if for a moment.

 

January one is now coming to a close!

Happy New Year to all!!

Cathy Hegman

http://www.cathyhegman.com
*All artwork and text included in this blog is copyright protected by Cathy Hegman and should not be reproduced in any form or fashion or used without the written permission of Cathy Hegman. All text and artwork included in this blog are solely the thoughts and original art of the artist, Cathy Hegman, unless otherwise noted, and are meant only to be guidelines and thoughts for others to read.

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