Early Works

25
Written by tiffanyarpdaleo
Acrylic on canvas circa 1988
Oil on canvas circa 1989
Oil on canvas circa 1990

I found these REALLY early paintings that were never completed and never intended to be shared, but here they are. I’ve certainly tried my hand at many different styles of painting, and I’m pretty confident now that abstract is where I belong! 

My earliest memory of painting was at the YMCA, must have been 1974. Mrs. Bell was the teacher, I was 4 years old. I vividly remember “painting” on the cement walls with brushes dipped in plain water. The image only lasted as long as it took to dry in the San Diego dry heat, basically, seconds. Clearly, that was not going to satisfy me.

I never really stopped painting. I always loved art classes in school. I used to record Bob Ross videos on the VCR and play and stop, play, stop, over and over while I tried to keep up. I never seemed to have the right colors and they never looked like Bob’s paintings, but I sure did enjoy making all those happy little trees!

I’m actually really surprised these few survived over the years. I’ve been down many roads, moved so many times, and most of my work from the past has been lost. They are fun to look at, certainly not good paintings, but it reminds me to be grateful for how far I’ve come!

 

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25 Comments

    1. Thank you, Anthony! Whoa, somehow I’ve never heard of Porcupine Tree, but I have been playing them for the last 20 minutes and I’m really digging them! Thanks for turning me on to, maybe, my new favorite band!!

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  6. Super flashback work. I really like the landscape oil on canvas circa 1989. Your first painting in 1974 was a few years before the Village People’s “YMCA” came out, but that’s what I think of whenever the YMCA is mentioned. I was 15 in 1974. I had my driver’s license (got it in October 1973 when I turned 15), my first car (a 1965 Rambler American), and I was groovin’ to Top 40 tunes on the car radio while you were painting with Mrs. Bell.

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      1. The disco days. I was dancing and playing back then. There was a big divide between live musicians and disco recordings used in clubs. Although , it took another 20 years before the live music scene to a real hit in this area.

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  8. Love the paintings and admire your skill. I came from an artistic family. on my Mom’s side..she painted some wonderful things as my sister has and now one of her daughters graduated from San Diego State a couple of years ago with an art degree. I tell you this because I admire and respect talent artists who can draw and paint. This may sound weird, but I am gifted with visual concepts and can see things painted ,etc, but my drawing and painting by hand ends up looking more like bad cartoons. Since I can visualize what I want to see, I studied photography in college (many, many years ago). When digital art became possible, I immediately jumped on the Adobe Photoshop band wagon and took classes at San Diego State to learn how to use it. Thus, my intro into digital art! All of this to say, I so admire and respect your ability to create via painting!! I also have a fondness for abstract!! May you have a great 2020! Thanks for sharing your art!!

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    1. Thank you for your kind comment, Kirt! I always wished I had taken a Photoshop class, there’s so much you can do, I suppose it’s never too late! I really understand what you said, I’ve always struggled with literal paintings and drawing, I spent way too much time trying to get everything perfect, there is much more freedom in abstract painting! I still try and perfect the color balance and composition, but I find it a lot easier to finish abstract paintings and be satisfied with the outcome! Wishing you all the best in 2020 my friend!

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  9. Always amazing to see one’s past work I think, for better or for worst. I see a lot of your structural integrity already in place in the 1st work, see the sense of scope and impact developing in the 2nd, and think you may have been tapping into your brilliant color use in the 3rd. There’s a few pieces I’ve held onto, They remind me of things I don’t want to forget ❤️

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  10. I really like these paintings, I can see a spiritual side in them. It’s interesting how when one begins paintings they change styles as if trying to find a comfortable space to reside. I’ve gone from acrylic to digital painting, both traditional and a small amount of abstract. I’m hoping to find a comfortable seat soon 😇😊

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