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Ellen's Blog


​

The big white blank canvas

8/9/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture

This post is for those artists among us who face blank white canvases with fear and trembling. You're not alone.

I've earned my living solely through my artwork for more than 25 years, have been painting professionally for more than four decades, have gained a reputation for quality work, heaps of praise, a strong following, a lot of awards and am known fairly widely as a "collectible" artist.

But I still face a blank canvas with trepidation.

I'm basically self taught, but had a wonderful high school art teacher, Irene Silverstein, who taught the basics of all good representational art and I often "hear" her words as I paint. Those principles don't change.

One of my most distinct memories is of her telling my class that the greatest challenge even the best artists have, sometimes throughout their careers, is a facing blank white canvas. Her answer? Cover it, cover it with any color, even white!

Just the act of covering the canvas with even a thin glaze of color makes the Great Blank White Canvas Monster fade away. Once those first brush strokes go down fear turns to joy and the Great Blank White Canvas Monster is defeated. 

It helps me. I hope it helps you, too. - Ellen

1 Comment
Giles B link
12/12/2020 08:18:43 am

Great read thank yoou

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Ellen Rice began painting as a small child, sitting across the dining room table from her mother, a Corcoran student who loved to volunteer her drawings for good causes.

    Ellen’s first love was drawing ballerinas and horses, then family pets, portraits of her sisters and the many aspects of life around her. She won her first award in the sixth grade for a Maryland safety poster she created and sold her first painting as a sophomore in high school to a fellow art student. It was enough money to get a bus to her summer job in Rehoboth Beach.

    Today one of the East Coast’s most collected artists, Ellen’s paintings are found in private homes and government and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad

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  • Home
  • Original Paintings
    • Original Oils and Pastels
    • Progress & the Process
    • Portraits & Other Commissions
  • Strength of Women Series
    • About the Series
    • Standing on the Rock Vol I
    • The Journey Vol II
    • No Way Out Vol III
    • Freedom Vol IV
    • The Narrow path Vol V
    • Reflection Vol VI
    • In God's Hands Vol VII
    • Whatsoever things are lovely Vol VIII
  • Prints
    • About Ellen Rice Prints
    • Indian River Inlet
    • Seascapes and Beach
    • Bay Scenes
    • Maps & Treasure Coast History
    • Lighthouses, Coast Guard Stations & Delaware's Watchtowers
    • Paintings Created to Uplift
    • Children's Prints and Portraits
    • Dog Portraits & Prints
    • Pony & Horse Portraits & Prints
    • Trees & Landscapes
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Pen, Ink, Watercolor & Pencil Drawings
  • GIFTS
    • Ellen's Small Gifts
    • American Hand Made >
      • CERAMICS, POTTERY and RAKU >
        • J. Davis Raku InnerSpirit Rattles & Ornaments
      • CLOCKS & TOYS by Laughing Moon
      • GLASS ART >
        • Chiara Reading Stained Glass
        • Justin Cavagnaro Glass Art
        • Luke Adams Blown Glass
        • Joel Bloomberg Jellyfish Lamps
      • JEWELRY BY THE SHORE >
        • Austin Cake's Sun Sea Sand Sea Glass Jewelry
        • Meg's Prism Sea Glass Jewelry
        • Diane Page Beach Glass Jewelry Designs
        • Kim Doughty-Cavagnaro
      • LEAF LEATHER by CL Whiting >
        • Card Cases & Other Small Accessories
        • Classic Handbags
        • Coinpurse & Cosmetic
        • Leather-Edged Bags
        • Small Bags
        • Totes
        • Working Bags
        • Men's Wallets
        • Women's Wallets
      • PUPPETS & PUPPET KITS - Cate & Levi
      • WOOD >
        • Steve Baldwin Wooden Toys
    • GIFT CARDS
  • About
    • About the Studio
    • About Ellen Rice Prints
    • About Ellen Rice
    • Staff
    • Services & Policies
  • News
  • Sale
  • Curbside Pickup
  • Visit the Studio
  • Contact & Directions