“Blowing Bubbles,” by Tracey Maras.

Tracey Maras shares her process
for learning when it’s time to retire a painting.

By Tracey Maras
www.traceymaras.com

“You did what?!?” Accompanied by a look of shock and horror.

That is the typical reaction I receive after I have stated that I just destroyed some paintings.

2024 was a very busy show year. I spent the previous two years creating works for three different solo shows. Each show had a different theme, and thus, original paintings were required for each. As each show closes, some paintings did not yet find their forever home and subsequently returned home to me. They will go on to other shows, art fairs, and galleries, awaiting that perfect connection with a collector.

But until then, there is only so much storage space available. I am fortunate that I have a dedicated area for storing framed paintings, organized by show or theme and stored on heavy-duty shelving units.

But what to do with older paintings that I likely won’t show anymore? These may be paintings that I am no longer happy with. Maybe a style I tried, but I’ve moved on. Or more often is the case, my skills have improved from when I was painting those earlier pieces.

It seemed like a perfect time to make some hard decisions. Which paintings would meet their demise? It all depends on a few key questions. As I sort through the pieces, my first question is if I will likely show this painting again. If I’m the least bit unsure, it goes back in the rack.

Once the decision is made, there follows three additional questions:
• Can I rework the painting to make it better?
• Did I learn something from this painting, and I want to keep it as a reminder of that lesson?
• Can I reclaim the paper or board to use for another painting?

Regardless of the answers, the painting comes out of the frame. If I think I can improve it, it goes to a temporary display wall in my studio for further contemplation. If I want to keep it as a lesson learned, I cover the piece with glassine and place it in an archival portfolio folder that holds other “lessons.”

If the decision is made to reclaim the support surface, I put on a mask and brush off most of the pastel. I collect the dust in a bottle from which I will later reconstitute it into new pastels. Depending on the residual ghost of color on the surface, I may take it to an air compressor in the garage and blow off more dust. Or if I like the ghost color and choose to keep it as an underpainting, I will use Isopropyl alcohol and an old brush to liquify the residual pastel into the surface. Some of my best paintings are the result of reclaimed surfaces. (“Blowing Bubbles” was created on a reclaimed surface.)

In the end, 16 paintings were “retired” this year.

It took me a long time to get comfortable with the idea of “retiring” a painting. But we grow. We change. And our artwork does as well.