The next best thing

Creatives always need to be focused on doing the next best thing for their creative process. Sometimes that’s purchasing and preparing surfaces to paint on, or going to art supply wholesale for more paint, or uploading to Etsy.  Not being in a super strong flow, I discovered I was short paint surfaces tonight. I found a small 8 x 8 and created a simple study of pears. I feel so so about it. 
Also tweaked last week’s pear painting and the simple apple study.

Back to the Stills

I’ve been studying the art of Carol Marine and Sarah Sedwick for some time. Both artists have a nice fluid easy grace with their approach to still life. This still life is very much influenced by their work. I’m working on layering more tones, and color while using limited brush strokes. When I assemble these still life’s and begin to paint, it is very much like deconstructing  a puzzle. I had to paint yesterday. Except I forgot to turn the heat on in the studio and I was painting in 30 degree weather. Brrrrrrrr! I might have done more fine tuning, but my hands were shaking.

First Painting of 2020

Since September I lost momentum in my personal work. This winter the buoy has been my only creative project. School and teaching and mothering encompass so much of my energy. It is difficult to save energy for my own creative work. Last night I entered the studio without a clue as to where to begin. I didn’t know where the creative process would lead me. Long breaks usually lead to starting over, being rusty. I did not want to work from a photograph- so I set up a little still life. Hopefully I can pick up momentum and get in there more often. On this painting I tried to work on brush stroke economy- saying more with less.