Daily Paintings in the Post

These 4 little paintings were painted as studio demonstrations in my art classes not long after I had completed work for an exhibition (...a long story!!!) at Gallery 415. I wanted the ladies (my students) to complete one painting in one lesson (about 3 hours) and I too needed a break from laboring over my work...I needed to work quickly, freshen up...not think too much about what I was doing...and just paint! 

I have followed many Daily painters for a long time and marveled at their dedication and discipline. Completing a painting in one session, working alla prima (wet paint on wet paint) also requires guts, trust in yourself and skill in getting those tones, values and shapes correct first time...it is an adrenaline rush...a roller coaster ride of..."I have to do this".... "I can't do this" ...."I've messed up"... "Hang on, maybe it's not so bad after all?".... Ups and downs until...wow....you have an image on your canvas! Some are more successful than others, but the essence of capturing something in one go is thrilling! A different experience to pondering over, and exploring a painting over a period of time. A roller coaster ride was just what I needed at that time.

Not long afterwards, I was working in my studio on a painting that needed to be finished soon...and I was struggling...for many different reasons! Flip-flop Friday, the little 6"x8" painting, saved the day...and my other painting. Below is my first entry for this blog....

So this is where my daily painting journey began... In Durban, on the East coast of South Africa, we celebrate a day called flip-flop Friday in honour of many charities, one of them being a charity which helps provide shoes for children in rural schools (who would otherwise go to school barefoot). In Durban, flip-flops are also a celebration of funsunzi (fun in the sun), and on Flip-flop Friday everyone is encouraged to wear flip-flops whether you're going school or your jacket-and-tie office job! 

Feeling despondent about a painting I was working on, I put it aside, picked up a little canvas and decided to do a little, fun and quick painting to get rid of my painting frustration. I looked down at my feet, whipped off my flip-flop and painted it. This little 6"x8" did the trick! The next day, before getting started with other work, I decided to do another quick little painting sketch... And so the daily painting bug bit ...and I was hooked!

This little painting was given away via Facebook to a family living in Devon. Liesel is originally from Durban, South Africa and, with a British winter approaching, I thought they could do with a little funsunzi in their home. So the first painting travelled....and Paintings in the Post had begun without me even realizing it!

I have, up 'til now, avoided joining the big www to share my paintings for many reasons. Besides being technologically challenged (give me a paintbrush rather than a keyboard any day) I have been fearful of being lost out there in a cyber jungle...what happened to good old fashioned communication? The tangible hand-written letter or packaged parcel? I know you are thinking... "what planet does she come from?"!!!!!!! But really, when last did you receive something hand rendered in the post? Maybe you never have!

Well, Paintings in the Post has allowed me to bridge the gap between cyber jungle and the engaging, hand-created gift in the post (mail) box.  When my paintings are shipped off to their new homes, I am able to engage in the dying art of posting a hand-rendered parcel in the good old fashioned snail mail manner, to a buyer who hopefully feels like a kid at Christmas when that parcel arrives ....and this gives me great pleasure! 

And the www has its advantages...I am getting to meet so many new people! And if opening up your Inbox is your conventional method of receiving mail ...please join my email list and my Daily Painting in the Post will be delivered to your Inbox. I would love to share my journey with you so please feel free to leave comments or email me at the address below.... I look forward to meeting you!


heidishedlock@gmail.com