Another attempt at trying to further abstract the figure. 12”x 9”, mixed media on wood, Copyright David Limrite 2016

“One must really be engaged in order to be a painter. Once obsessed by it, one eventually gets to the point where one thinks that humanity could be changed by painting.”
Gerhard Richter, Artist

Become Obsessed

Of all the things that help me become a better artist, obsession seems to make the biggest and most profound impact.

I have always been obsessed with “line”. Or more specifically, making lines. Thin, thick, dark, light, fast, slow, delicate, aggressive, meandering, staccato-like, and especially scribbles.

I have long held a fascination with the color black. I love to see how deep, dark and rich I can make it. I love to see how warm and cool I can mix it, and still have it be categorized as black. I particularly love mixing black with Raw Umber Dark and Paynes Gray. Beautiful! My favorite black at the moment is Carbon Black, but I use them all. And, yes, I also mix my own blacks from time to time.

My newest obsession is trying to abstract the figure to my liking. You can see one such attempt in the above photo. I have not found the magical balance yet, but I am obsessed with the search. It’s all I can think about right now. And I love it.

Finding something, anything, big or small to become obsessed about, can make a huge difference in your focus and time spent creating. Becoming obsessed can make you feel alive. It can be a real game changer for you. It certainly is for me.

Some suggestions for your obsession might be: subject matter, technique, process, color, media, layering or mark making. Just to name a few.

What is your creativity obsession?

If you would like to share, please shoot me an email.

Best,

David