It's not what's wrong it's what could be more right.

Artichokes - Carciofi, 12 X 12in, oil on panel by Marian Dioguardi c2018
The first painting of artichokes, Carciofi Siciliani,  was a successful learning and painting process. It also was a struggle. In order to move beyond the feelings of struggling and to prove to myself that I learned something I decided to take another shot at painting artichokes.

This time the experience was so much more pleasurable. I relaxed into the painting as it was developing. Also I had the opportunity to make slightly different decisions and push the color along. That is why I like working in series: one thing always leads to another.

And that reminds me of a lesson that I learned in art school from one of my favorite painting teachers at Mass College of Art, Paul Celli : One fine day  I was painting the class lesson of the day, a live model, and feeling pretty good about what I was doing. Paul came by and took the canvas off my easel and pushed it to the side and said "that's ok but start another now". I  can tell you that I was a little confused.  I thought what I was doing was good solid work and I didn't see anything  wrong with what I was doing. However, somewhat reluctantly I started the same painting again. Lo and behold it was better, far better, than the first attempt!

I could not have seen myself doing a better painting because I kept looking for what was wrong. Paul Celli was looking at my painting what could be BETTER. I learned an important lesson that day. Even if a painting is "nice", do it twice!


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