Wednesday, January 2, 2013

 
 
Here's my first painting for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge 






So last night I  was so excited for today that I stayed up until just past midnight gathering all sorts of new content for some fresh new paintings!  Yet today was one of those days.  Right now it's 10:30 p.m. and I m sitting here still dressed in my workout gear.  Never did get to the gym today.  I did however, clean my house and studio (which took much longer than I thought), and chatted with the housecleaning service owner so I can actually spend more time in the studio this year!  Yes, that's right.  I'm getting a cleaning service 2x a month because I'm done with waiting for painting!  Priorities already!  And yes, you're right.  I cleaned for the cleaning guy.

Why didn't I work out, then go right into painting?  Why did I have to have everything just right before allowing myself to indulge in my passion?  I don't know.  But it felt really good to have a clean house and studio.  Was it perfectionism?  Was it procrastination?  Perhaps.  But I told myself to chill and just get to it.  It was 3:30 p.m.  The light would fade soon.  Yet the new techniques I was trying to employ and the new subject matter caused me to go slower than I wanted to.  I learned a ton through my mistakes, but in the end just didn't like the painting.  Frusrated but fearless, I pitched that painting, grabbed new paper and started again, this time painting with my usual style... and very quickly now!  Tomorrow my goal, though, is to do something different.  Again.  Fingers crossed.

Monday, December 31, 2012

New Beginnings...






It's almost a new year, and with that the thrill of anticipation and the joy of discovery awaits!
 
For myself, 2013 promises to be a year of personal growth and change. Indeed, as CNN's constant drone of the fiscal cliff threatens from the television inside, I am blissfully poised in my art studio, anxious and ready to embark upon one of the most exciting and meaningful years of my life.
 
This is the year to share my artistic voyage...unedited.  After 11 years of painting, this blog provides a platform for me to document this life as an artist.  Struggles, successes, fears, joys, random musings, humor and well...you get the idea.  Mainly intended to document my journey, should you want to come along, I hope it also inspires and entertains you!

So what would the new year be without a stout resolution?  Here we go...
 
Starting January 2, 2013, for 30 days I will be finishing a painting a day...an ambitious commitment.  It's an exciting challenge, yet I will be in good company with some 200+ other artists.
 
This opportunity is presented by Leslie Saeta, a fabulous artist who lives in Pasadena, California.  I don't know her personally, but listen to her voice almost daily as I am painting or on the treadmill.  She has a podcast I stumbled onto entitled "Artists helping Artists".  It is an incredible show, and I am grateful to have found her.  Check out Leslie's blog too...it's filled with all kinds of great stuff!
 
 
Happy New Year to you and yours...I'm going to go drink champagne.