Hey guys,
have you ever wondered why some paintings have a production time of years or even decades? And why others maybe never get finished? Me too, so that’s why I want to get a closer view on this subject.
If you like to go to museums of art – like I do – maybe you also look at the year the artworks were made. If so, you have surely observed that while the artists have some series of paintings that were all made in one year on the other hand there are these one or two that got years over years to get finished.
Why is this so?
I have a few theories for these pieces I call the ‘unfinished’ ones.
Of course I don’t think about the big and detailed paintings, it is obviously why it takes a lot of time to get them done.
So here are my theories:
- The anxiety of destroying the parts of a painting that were already made.
In particular for a perfectionist this can be a big deal and a reason to wait – but wait for what? - Waiting for the right time to come!
As I wrote a few weeks ago about the time to start with art, I believe that there is a time for everything. A time to read the interesting book in the shelf and a time for finishing a painting, means their time hasn’t come yet. - Not to want to let the feeling go that is related to the working process.
As I already said, these are my theories and they fit with my unfinished pieces or better said piece.
Until now it never took me more than a few weeks at most months to accomplish a painting apart from this one: “Favourite Place”.
This one painting is now already five years “in progress”. I started painting it five years ago to give it to my husband for his birthday. After I gave it to him unfinished (because of bad time management), I always wanted to keep on working to get it done.
I wanted to, but I didn’t – I painted other things instead.
Since then I see it every single day because it is hanging on our living room’s wall.
Last year in September I started again and I fixed that I needed just five to six more working sessions to finish my husband’s painting.
Guess what? It’s still unfinished!
I’m afraid of ruining my husband’s favourite place. But the time will come, I know it! Because for me it’s not finished yet.
Do you have unfinished pieces? And what are your reasons not to get them done?
I would be glad if you let me know in the comments below.
Yours, Thea