Blogging is never easy.

I'd rather just PAINT!

I am rambling on, but I do have a point: my painting experience over these last several weeks. After finishing with clients, I always have new and exciting inspiration for new works. Finding the "zone" for painting is never simple, but when one gets it one has to paint as much as possible and let the work flow. I have written in the past about knowing when a painting is done, and just because I have signed a piece of work never really means it is finished. There is just a special feeling inside, and when you get that feeling then the painting is done. If you have to ask yourself or someone else, the answer is NO it is not done: you and ONLY YOU will know when it is right. Just as for me this last week. I started a painting at the first of the month, painting on it for about a week, liking the result and putting my name on it. Generally paintings do not leave my studio for many weeks after I sign them; I want to look at them, think about them, and enjoy their company. I want to speculate and test myself. Am I really finished? Well this one went down to the living room for a day or two, just to think about it, and then one morning I woke up, had a bite of breakfast, looked at the painting and back to my studio it went. Two hours and a whole lot of painting and energy later, it was looking better including painting over my name! By the end of the next day it had my name on it again and this time the feeling was right.

You must not hurry a painting: you must be happy with it, you must feel it, you must be in harmony with it and you MUST NOT be afraid of it. Way too often people say they like their painting and are afraid to do anything else. Forget it: I always say, you are not done. When you are done with a painting you feel it and are not afraid of it.

I cannot tell you how many times my students have painted and told me “I am done”, and I look at it and we start to talk about what is going on, what is clear, what is not, what reads right, what does not, what is strong, what is not. Normally my response is clear: “there is always more paint”. Because for me, layers of paint build energy, build strength, make a painting strong, brings life to the work, makes it feel three dimensional, gives it energy, gives it life, and more paint makes it feel stronger, richer, and more alive.

Stay with your painting until the feeling is RIGHT. And if you want my help and you happen to be in the mood for a trip to Spain or France, then come on over, lets paint for a week in my studio with a small group of like-minded artists, or in a private retreat. If you have a partner that does not paint but would like to explore during the day, bring them along. Experience a painting journey in creativity, and I am sure you will find that there is always More Paint! Get the feeling, know the feeling, and let your creativity flow, you gotta love the feeling!

For me Life is Painting, not blogging, but I just happen to have something to say; maybe it will inspire you to work longer, to look at your paintings differently, to give your art more time, not to rush or hurry, but to make your day magic with a brush, canvas and More Paint!

Here is the painting I am talking about, the before and after. And this is only one example. I have many more and I keep telling myself “There is always more paint” and usually I am right! Have Fun! Life is short!!! Be Creative!!!!!!!!!!!! My next blog post on movies: Yes we all like to sit back and be entertained once in a while. I have collected many movies about artists and would like to share them with you. Coming Soon!

All My Best, and Happy Painting!