Monday Challenge: Revisit Your Experimental Paintings

'Playful Poppies'             5x7           pastel           ©Karen Margulis
purchase here $50

Going through old paintings can have it's benefits. For one thing we can usually see how far we have come with our art. Looking back through older work makes it clear just how much we learn and grow as we continue to paint. I have boxes of older work that will probably never see the light of day. I hold onto them because I have room and because it would be like throwing away a piece of me....however awful they are. I know there are many thoughts on this subject...but I keep just about everything.

Sometimes we end up filing away work that maybe should see the light of day. 

There might be a spark of something that we need to pursue. Often our playful pieces can point the way to a new direction. Maybe we didn't see it at the time so we put these experiments in a box.

The other day I was going through one such box looking for an older painting someone had a question about.  This bright poppy painting was in the box buried underneath layers of dull, boring landscapes. It made me smile. It caused me to ask some questions....I am working on the answers. Here is my Monday Challenge to you....go through some of your older work and just look. See if anything jumps out at you....ask yourself these questions:

• What was I thinking when I painted it? 
• What was I trying to do?  
• I like it now so why did I file it away? 
• What can I learn about it.....why do I like it?  
• Can I take these ideas and revisit them?

I am not sure yet what direction this painting might take me. I do know I am enjoying the shapes and colors and the mix of marks. I am going to hang it up to remind me that we have much to learn from our playful times!