Just Showing Up

When the weather is as beautiful as it was today, I wanted to be anywhere but in the studio. Then I reminded myself what Woody Allen once said, “80% of success is just showing up.” With that in mind, I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed towards the studio.

Once I got started, I couldn’t stop. I put in at least 6 hours of work today, and loved every minute of it. Later on, I did manage to get out in the fresh air and enjoy some sunshine on my lunch break. Afterwards, I worked on the painting below.

Hope Springs Eternal – Acrylic, Mixed Media on canvas – 11 X 14 inches

Dragonflies in the Garden

I went out to water the garden this morning, and was greeted by lots of dragonflies in our backyard. It was so magical watching the dragonflies darting here and there. What a wonderful experience!

Later back in my studio I began working on a painting, which is almost finished. There are still a few areas which need work, but it needs to dry before I can continue.

One might ask oneself, “Is a painting ever finished?” This is a question artists have been asking themselves for eons, and it seems as if everybody has an opinion on the subject. Personally, I agree wholeheartedly with Rembrandt, “A painting is finished when the artist says it is finished.”

I also worked on the painting Unity, and started another canvas. I felt inspired to paint a likeness of my aunt Dorothy. All in all it was a pretty busy day.

Aunt Dorothy – Acrylic, Mixed Media- 16 X 20 inches

Unity – Acrylic, Mixed Medium – 16 X 20 inches

Thoughts For The Day

“If modern man would use it, he could find old wisdom in his heart and clear his vision enough to see from start to finish and finish to start, the circle rounding perfectly.” – Tao-te Ching

Garden Roses – Photograph – 8 X 10 inches

Gratitude

Grow.
Remember.
Accept.
Trade.
Invoke.
Treasure.
Understand.
Delight.
Explore. – Unknown

Figurative Abstract

I had some extra time today to work on my painting, so I began adding three abstract figures and collage elements to the background.

The inspiration for this piece came from some reoccurring dreams I’ve had over the past year, in which these very elongated tall abstract figures float over the landscape. They usually travel together in family groups.

Unity – Acrylic, Mixed Media – 16 X 20 inches

“I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your need. I feel your feelings My wisdom flows from the Highest Source. I salute that Source in you. Let us work together for unity and love.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

“Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.”
-John Muir

“I am the country, my eyes the sky, my limbs the trees,
I am the rock, the depth of water.
I am not here, in order to control nature or exploit her.
I am even nature.”
– Hopi

Monday In The Studio

I spent the whole day in my studio working on a new painting, and was feeling pretty guilty about not working on some of the other canvases waiting in the wings to be finished.

I couldn’t help myself. Inspiration hit and my muse came out of hiding, as I gleefully proceeded with my art project. I was dabbing and splashing color on the canvas as I completely immersed myself in the moment.

It felt so good to set aside my somewhat structured way of doing things, and let my creative child out to play.