From my Garden - Oil Painting Redone

Janis Zroback, about 1 month ago

They are both lovely paintings, and since the style is different, the word “better” may not be appropriate.
Since it’s your vision and creation, the advice of anyone, however well meaning is always a problem as it results in you doubting your abilities…

With regard to deciding to end a painting, If you find yourself fiddling with it, it’s finished…if you’re not sure, sometimes it’s best to leave it and come back to it later, even if it’s weeks or months, and suddenly you’ll find that you’ll know how to finish…

Painting is hard, no one knows that more than I, but don’t give up, you’re doing a great job…

BillyLee in reply to Janis Zroback’s comment, about 1 month ago

Dear Janis thank you. All your advice has been good. The advice of others did make me doubt myself and now I will never get the first painting back again. I like what you said about “when you find yourself fiddling with it its finished”. This I will listen to next time. ‘

Or as you say, I will come back to it another day or week or month or so because all this working wet into wet into wet is becoming a chore.
Thank you so much for you help. Billy

Janis Zroback, about 1 month ago

You are welcome….Bmail me anytime and thanks for placing me on your watchlist…I consider it to be a great compliment….

Karin Taylor, about 1 month ago

Okay, i’ll add my point of view Billylee…
I personally prefer this one, because i like they way you’ve detailed the flowers, i think they’re very sweet, and this gives the painting it’s central focus… when i look at this painting, my eye is first drawn to the central flowers highlighted in the foreground…then my eye drops to investigate the intrigue of the glass vase… in the other painting….the flowers are less detailed, as you say, more impressionistic…and my eye is a little lost until it focuses on the vase below. I think a point of focus is an important thing from an emotive point of view…it tends to grab my heartstrings, and my heart then starts whispering to my brain what it feels…and sees…
It’s a lovely sweet gentle sort of painting, i think you’ve done a fantastic job on the vase and the glass…in particular i am very drawn to the large green leaf in both paintings.

With painting it is very very difficult to decide when it is finished…i think it is a unique problem for each and every artist, and we all have a slightly different process…only practice yields the kinds of answers we are all looking for…advice is good, but practice is the best answer….so what if you stuff a painting up….but my advice is never ever ever paint over them….why? well, you tend to regret it later…even if you hate it, there will be something you’ve learned from a painting…if you paint over it, this learning will tend to be forgotten….I wish i hadn’t done this so many times….i still go looking for old paintings i destroyed and then i remember they are gone…:( all to sad really…...hang on to these, please don’t paint them over, if you really don’t like a painting and can’t bear to see it….due to frustration and distaste..then my suggestion would be to cover it up, to hide it from view….in a few years it will become bearable to look at again, and you will see it in a whole different light, and usually you can see the good in it rather than the bad…

someone once told me – if you think a painting isn’t finished, it usually isn’t :) and you’ll never be happy until you ‘fix it’ even if you end up destroying it…... this gave me freedom to perservere and put those touches on…..a few of mine were very different to the final paintings…..and i was so happy in the end that i kept going….having said this….i have also really ruined a few good paintings, and i broke my heart that i didn’t stop when i should have…it’s a really delicate balance..

My advice to well meaning friends who offer advice is to thank them very much, and send them packing….determined never EVER to take their advice…they weren’t in your head when the inspiration formed the dream, these are your dreams, do not REPEAT do not share them with anyone until you are sure you’re ready…..indecision will ruin the painting every time…only pick up the brush when you are feeling happy and confident….not shaky and trying to please anyone else….just little things that may or may not help….but you’re doing so great, you can do this!!!!

i hope his helps….these are both lovely, congratulations and well done…..

Marita McVeigh, about 1 month ago

both paintings are lovely. I do like the stronger more focused colors in the flowers of the second one.
I have learned that if you ask 20 people their opinions about a painting – you will get 20 differrent opiinons on what they think you should do or change. Especially from people who are not artists! I was painting outside one day an a man came up to my painting and said it was just – ok- and then he pointed out all the things he thought were not correct. I totally ignored him as I had just gotten started with my painting and new I had lots of areas to work out. He admitted that he was not an artist so he really did not know what know what goes in to making a painting.
Keep painting, don’t give up your work is beautiful. One teacher I had told us to paint something then move on to the next painting, and so on and so on. Dont’ keep fussing over one of them or it will get overworked. you can go back to it later and fix it when you know exactly what you want to do.
I hope some of this helps!
Happy 4th of July!

Nikki Mulkern, about 1 month ago

this is stunning, love the colours!

BillyLee in reply to Karin Taylor’s comment, about 1 month ago

Yea, that is exactly the sort of answer and reply I was looking for, honestly because my friend came over before this upload and told me I had “ruined it” oh “ruined it” and my friend Karin Taylor who is a painter, said No you havn’t ruined it, in fact she likes this one better because it does have some detail. Plus she has given me heaps of wonderful advice and the story about not painting over things, wow, that is really a lesson and a big tip. Karin, big hugs for taking the time to write to me about this painting and I will leave it now. Stop trying to fix it. Hang it and move on to the next one and practice practice practice. Billy

BillyLee in reply to Marita McVeigh’s comment, about 1 month ago

Dear Marita, wonderful advice, like Karin’s comment , yours is also along the same lines. Dont overwork it, move to the next one and stop listening to absolutely everyone who looks at it for five minutes. I am looking at it everyday. I thank you for your advice and when in doubt again, I will come back and read what you have both written here. Good advice and big hugs to you also Marita! Billy

ginnymac, about 1 month ago

great advice from Marita ,Billy. a man told me once My drawing I [in a public place] which I had hardly started on ] was doing of a montera plant wasn’t very good, and then added very seriousley It would never make the “Archibald’ I said ..Oh?

Sorina Williams, about 1 month ago

very beautiful Billy! I happen to like more detail…

Estelle O'Brien, about 1 month ago

Mmmm I like the focus in this one better too. The other one is good as well, but this one grabs you more. The clarity in this is more stimulating to me than the more inpressionistic style of the first one. I know what you mean about people giving advice…I find it so hard as a learner, because I am not confident or skilled enough to know if they are right or not! But usually if I change something to suit someone else I lose the originality and direction I fist felt,so I am learning to trust my instincts. You have much more artistic boldness than I though..so I say keep your eyes and ears closed to others until your own inner voice whispers stop. But it’s always a whisper, never a shout. And thats the point…. I believe we all have art in our heart waiting to be allowed to manifest…and no-one else can express what’s in your soul, except you.Tuning in properly and being sentsitive to your inner voice is the thing! love e xx

genevieve m, about 1 month ago

I think I prefer this one. DOnt paint over it, just put it away for a few months. (I paint over stuff all the time drives me nuts, I have one geisha I have painted over about 4 times. still hasnt sold. )

Karin Taylor, about 1 month ago

I’m so happy for you BillyLee … I feel a big relief that you won’t paint over your wonderful creations and that you will learn to trust yourself …. the comment Marita makes about 20 different people and 20 different views is soo true…. the painting is your heart’s work…..no-one else can say what it should or should be … and with time, patience with yourself and practicing when to finish and when to keep going…you will find a balance…. it is one of the hardest things… things people say about a painting never leave my head….a criticism my father makes will make me hide the painting forever….well, it used to….now i display it sure and proud…i even say to him….”I know what you’re gonna say dad….and i pip him at the post…as i know how he’ll critique it…but i can’t do more than i can do….and have to be happy with what i feel is achieveable.

Dad would say, that leg of hers simply can’t be there, it isn’t physically possible….and i would say, yes, but it works dad…..the painting is balanced/if somewhat unbelievable scientifically, that is my artist’s license and i intend to flash it as often as need be…...LOL..

linsads, about 1 month ago

Hi BillyLee,
they both look great to me fab colours and the glass is excellent too, can’t make up my mind as to which one is the best —- the spirt of the subject is in both of them. I would be proud to produce such paintings, Its made me hanker after the paint brush again — and i have not done that for a while. lovely work Lindsay

bellebuckley, about 1 month ago

Without leaving you a long response i will simply say that although they are both beautiful i do prefer the second one i will have to think about exactly why…i will have another look in the morning. :)

BillyLee in reply to bellebuckley’s comment, about 1 month ago

Dear Belle, I think all my redbubble artist friends have now said the second….when I told my best friend Hugh this yesterday, this is the email he sent me and I arrived home to yesterday…..

Dear B
I feel I must say you are a bit of a user. I don’t like the way you suck me dry of anything useful and then tell me how your red bubble twits know more about art than I do, thanks for nothing.
Also your effort at oak hill today was embarrassing to say the least, James does not care about anyone’s art but his own and the reason I have him involved is so he can get his work out before he snuffs. Its not about who has the most sycophant cyber buddies or best webb site. If you knew anything at all about people like James or myself for that matter it is that they are the real deal that dont crave attention – based on what they have done, they deserve it.
not happy
H

I happen to love the advice my redbubble friends give me….and although I wasn’t insulting him, I just didn’t think he thought it was that important. Thanks for you sincere comment and for telling me, it only makes me stop doubting myself when I am a no longer best friend who puts me down all the time. Billy

BillyLee in reply to Estelle O'Brien’s comment, about 1 month ago

tHANKS Estelle, bit upset today, read today’s journal…..another problem. ...now all over this painting I don’t know why.

BillyLee in reply to Janis Zroback’s comment, about 1 month ago

Janis read my journal I wrote today, Its the wellmeaning friend wrote to me after I told him the redbubble artist liked my second one better….than he sent me this email last night. So upsetting but all over my flowers?????

Janis Zroback, about 1 month ago

I sent you a B mail with my comments…if he were really the “real deal” he would not be acting in this way…

Janis Zroback, about 1 month ago

P.S. to my comment above “Liking some thing better” does that mean that it is in fact better than another….it just means that the piece appealed to some viewers…another set of viewers might have a different opinion….millions of people love the painting “The Scream” I hate it, along with millions more, but it is still a great piece of art…

Janis Zroback, about 1 month ago

Sorry it should read “doesn’t mean”

Karin Taylor, about 1 month ago

Geesh BillyLee… i don’t much appreciate being called a ‘redbubble twit’ that’s a bit rough – it sounds like your friend is pretty pissed off…...sorry to hear this…..i would never mean for that to happen….

It all depends on whether you are looking to your friend for critique, whether you have asked his opinion and he has interpreted this to mean critiquing your work..it’s important to be clear about what you need from your friend in the way of his opinion….as in, i have asked my family to please look for the good things in my painting that appeal…..as a lot of time, they cannot see what i intend for the end of the painting, and are short sighted when giving me their comments…..ie, so I may possible say to them, just give me a thumbs up if the vase is alright, as i intend doing a lot more work on the flowers,....this way, i thwart them from giving me negative energy toward the flowers and I get a positive response to something I am already happy with…...i mean, they can’t possibly fix my flowers…they don’t have a clue where i’m going with that…only i do….so i’ve had to realise there are limits. This has curbed many potential blues!! lol

A lot of misunderstandings can be sorted out, if we can poinpoint what it is we really are looking for from each other…..do we want a harsh honest critique…if so, then we have to accept the blunt appraisal from our fellow artists. Do we want encouragement and people to point out the good parts…..so the parts that need work are more obvious without a harsh critique…then we eventually learn to ask that from our contemporaries…communication is the key to it…and knowing ourselves better as artists…..

There are many people that actually enjoy critiquing art, and many artists that like to have their work critiqued….I am one of those artists which hate having my work critiqued…it is ‘soul destroying’ for me…. this is my individual opinion …I tell people thanx but no thanx if they wish to critique my work…i’m truly not interested. I have only given certain people permission to critique my work, and at present the only one allowed is “Frozenfa”....because she has my personal best interests at heart, i respect her pov (point of view) .... “Mui-Ling” and “Karen Cook” are a couple of others that I don’t seem to mind…because they are sooo thoughtful and gentle in manner…...It is fine if other people wish to/like to/have to critique me…although I find it hard….but i just tend to refuse to pay any attention to them, or i let them know that i actually have limitations and doubt this would be possible to do what they are asking….i will say I’m not up to that, and don’t think I could manage it just yet, but that I’ll keep it in mind for next time, etc…..i do not ask them for it, but if they still wish to give it….then that’s fine, but i don’t listen to it to much….and in my heart and mind, i will only accept critique from someone who is so attuned to my own heart/mind with a selfless and kind attitude, that wants to see me succeed, with no petty jealousy involved…....and I think that’s where it stands for me….

It’s a really difficult matter and something i don’t find at all easy. In no way, did i intend to criticise you friend for whatever his point of view may be, but rather than critiquing people’s work, it is my philosophy in life to locate/find the good in people, and go about encouraging them in every way I wish only to point out the good….and i think in doing so, it highlights other areas which may not be so good, without actually pointing them out as being deficient and requiring more work.

I hope this helps BillyLee, and i hope you and your mate can mend the fences so to speak…
I have had my art ridiculed for being commercial by a tutor at TAFE… I lost my gallery representation once because of it…. it hurt me deeply…. I am deadly serious with my art and where I’m going, but I have to do it my way, or no way at all…

Hugs, Karin xo

Many tutors by nature are gentle and kind in this way, some are not….some are known for being rather ruthless and telling their students to cut things out or paint over their work…but i think this is harmful and soul destroying.

I have chosen a path peculiar to myself…i do not wish for critique of my work, i do not wish to have a tutor or be trained. I am completely self taught and self motivated…despite being cut down and disregarded by many, spat on and rendered a nothing with no potential by the people that really mattered to me. Now many people would could me vain, naive, afraid, immature, not striving for the best, wishing to stay in my cave, not willing to change…....but i don’t wish to give a dam what they say, i don’t give a dam what they think anymore…...

Many people in the world have ulterior motives, many people are unkind due to jealousy, many people

BillyLee, about 1 month ago

Dear Karin, that helps a lot…because I am getting ready and I am going to the gallery and I am going to hold my head up high and I am going to show people my art and I am going to support the person who wins and I am going to be nice to everyone. Plus I am going be me. As for my friend , well, I can’t be friends with them because Friends are loving , kind, respectful, honest and safe…..all these things he is not anymore. So I will try and be a best friend to me…and your comments are much appreciated. I love what you write to me. I love redbubble, I love all my redbubble friends, they are so talented….so so talented and I love being in this redbubble tribe! Billy

Simone Maynard, about 1 month ago

billy – they both work and only you know which one you feel better about. but i must say the main difference in the two…. the first seems much more free and loose, more expressionistic even… the second is more defined, detailed, controlled and realistic. I guess it depends on how YOU enjoy painting. don’t let the comments of anyone ‘over’ influence you. just be true to yourself.

BillyLee in reply to Simone Maynard’s comment, about 1 month ago

Thanks Simone, its hard to find ones self and get into a style…I know I will get there…I have been making canvases for two days straight now. Feeling so much better that is over and done with. Now I can hopefully get some creative juices going again. I resigned from the Board of Oak HIll last night. I couldn’t handle the bickering that goes on there…..shame because I was enjoying learning about running a gallery. Billy

termite, about 1 month ago

i also like them both. listen to Simone

Carmen Cilliers, about 1 month ago

Everyone’s covered this well! I like this one best too, I like the clarity of it and wow, it’s beautiful work Billy, must be a huge change after doing print making.

Carmen Cilliers, about 1 month ago

Oh, I just read some of the other comments. I am very surprised you still have Hugh’s email in here. I know he was rough on you, but you seem to be being just as rough back to him. I probably sound like and asshole saying that which isn’t what I mean to be doing, but we all have different opinions. For instance, I am reading what Karin was saying about not liking to have her work critiqued… I am one of the artists that feels I can only improve and push the boundaries when I receive honest critique… if I didn’t receive it I would be painting the same stuff I was 12 months ago which to me would be pretty stagnant. I feel my art has in some way not been as good in theme perhaps as 12 months ago, but the critique has helped me push the boundaries of techniques and genres so when I do go back to my older themes they will only be better. Oh, I was commenting on Hugh wasn’t I. I guess I sort of see the situation from both sides. I think RB is a lot of fun, but it’s also very diplomatic which isn’t always what one needs to improve. I think perhaps Hugh feels that his honesty has been thwarted and that us RB crew have superseded him in the popularity stakes and stakes of artistic critique. At the end of the day, as much as I love your work, or you mine, it’s not the same as a friend seeing it in person and giving you an honest unbiased opinion. You are an awsome person Billy, from what I know of you on RB, but I don’t know the warts and all Billy like Hugh does. Sometimes friends do just ‘shit’ eachother, even best friends, but the strength of the friendship lies in the power of forgiveness and being able to sort things out. I love commenting on your work and wow, you are evolving at such a pace I can’t keep up, but I hope I don’t stumple on another one of these Hugh Emails… I think you are too good to be pasting them on here. (dont hate me, I am just being my usual honest carmen self… which is not always good I know)

bellebuckley, about 1 month ago

hi Billy. i have been thinking about your response for a couple of days in the hope i could offer something healing to say, its hard to be personal on this site sometimes but i guess i can say honestly that i understand your rethink of your friendship with H, it was all rather hurtfull, when you want so much for the people you care about to like and enjoy your work (especially in your case work that so offten seems to reflect you and your eye for beauty) this kind of response would be devestating, maybe you have to try and remember why you and he were friends and hope he say sorry very soon, as for the piece of work i think the flowers really pop with the extra detail, hopr you feeling better and my heartfelt rambling makes some sort of sense! Belle ;-)

BillyLee in reply to bellebuckley’s comment, about 1 month ago

Dear Belle, thanks for commenting today because Ihave been a bit low about it today. Even though I had a friend come over and give me a 2 hour pastel lesson with lots of free goodies….well I still couldn’t help think about H every now and again. HOwever, every time I did I remember the things he said about me and I have to move on. Its hard but its about my dignity, self esteem and self love…I have to move on. I am glad you like the second one better because its hanging in my studio and I am enjoying looking at it…so thanks for that. Hope you are well and I really appreciate you remembering how things were last week. LoveBilly

Holly Werner, about 1 month ago

Beautiful work.

Mariaan Krog, 28 days ago

My comment will be short: I love this one more BL. The detail in the flowers are beautiful. A very beautiful painting.

Michelle Barlo..., 11 days ago

BOTH GORGEOUS go with your soul