Heart Angel Lantern Vine
Acrylic, mixed media on canvas
120 x 60 cm
Marlene Yuzak
Once in awhile, not often, I work on a piece for a long time, trying to bring it to life. Recently, I worked on a painting for three weeks before a friend patted me on the back and said maybe I should let it go. I don’t like to leave work unfinished and almost never do. The main image I liked, but other aspects were giving me trouble. I threw so much acrylic paint at it that the canvas tightened up and the stretcher warped. Sadly, I admitted that the patient was dead and could not be revived.
The next painting — which you see above — I did in a few hours, using all the elements I liked from the previous one. Art is like that. When you go the wrong direction, it is a struggle. When you are on the right track, it is easy. I think this what Krishnamurti means when he says it is effort that defeats us.