The First Swim

'Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge'
DAY 19
'First Swim' study (a flippin' difficult one)
oil on board 12" x 10"



I don't know why but throughout my life, I've made things difficult for myself.

Swotting for finals the night before. (Boyfriend, now OH, actually was SO worried I hadn't 'revised' he locked me in my room. I think I may have done a couple of drawings and painted my nails...for the Leaver's Ball.)

Learning to ski in my 30's on ice, at -20c in the wilds of Canada.

Agreeing to organise a wedding at the drop of a hat, in less than 3 months and foolishly offering to do all the floral arrangements, button holes, and half a dozen bouquets. (And before you ask, NO. I'm not a florist, more of a 'dunk them in a vase' kinda girl. YouTube was a godsend, BTW.)
There are many more examples but I can see you're glazing over. Do try to keep up...
So why has this one painting been so difficult for me?

People - my bête noire. And add flowers to that list.

I'd rather eat my own feet than paint/draw even THINK about adding people to my paintings.
Not only that, but painting people in a confident, sketchy way, just a suggestion.
I said at the beginning of this challenge, I'd be doing 'stuff' that pushed me to my limits...this goes WAY beyond that.

One thing I DID note (and made me feel tons better) when I had my nose pressed to the Turner paintings the other week, was that his people (and animals) weren't works of art up close...just a daub and a a line here and there....a suggestion.
I had a knot in my stomach the whole time I was painting this.
(Wonder if Turner ever felt the same way?)
I'mSO glad this one is over....

(Best viewed from 50 yards...as in Tate Britain.)