Art Progress

98. Wave 2

98. Wave 2
Originally uploaded by art progress

98. Wave 2
oil on canvas
Blake Betteridge 2009

Hi.

I'm back. I feel the need to explain my absence.

Over the Summer I have been in quite an artistic slump. Now and then I had found myself able to scratch out a painting here or there, but I haven't been able to really sustain any effort. The fall into this slump didn't feel like going off a cliff, it felt like a really gradual tumble. I could once feel painting in my bones, but then I couldn't. I felt myself gradually withdraw from art.

It was right after my show, A Ton of Bricks, came out. It felt like the end of a really huge effort. When the show was completed I felt relieved enough to put down my paintbrush for a break, but it went on and on until I didn't feel like I could paint any more.

95. What Now? is one of the paintings I made while in my slump that pretty much explains how I was feeling at the time.

95. What Now?
Originally uploaded by art progress

A couple weeks ago I sat down and decided to try to paint again. I put on The Beach Boys' Surfer Girl and began to paint a wave. Then I listened to Surfin' U.S.A and finished the wave. It only took me about an hour. I've painted a couple more waves since then and I'm about to start my hundredth painting. I can kind of feel painting in my bones again. This slump has taught me that if I ever want to want to see the heights reached by great men I must keep moving and working.

Thanks for your patience while I was slumping. If you peep this last page and a half of blog, I've posted most of the A Ton of Bricks show. See you soon.

Blake

PS: Here's a review of A Ton of Bricks that was in a real newspaper!

And here's another (from a REAL newspaper!)