I just discovered that I am an analytical person. Personality tests are fascinating and I have taken many over the last few years. A recent one I took shows the sections on your brain that you use the most and I was shocked to see how analytical and methodical I am. As with all personality traits they can be our worst enemy or our best friends. I am beginning to recognize that my tendency to analyze my artwork and all things connected to it easily becomes a trap to me and destroys my creative spark.....I'll have to work on that. More "just do it" and less "what about this?... .what about that?"

So, almost done with the current painting. This can go in many directions and I struggle with choosing ONE (analytical, right?) which will naturally mean the death of other choices. Could it also be that I am non-committal?!

Gallery Opening

The FCCA opening was last Saturday night. Many of my friends attended and we had a great time. I finally got to meet Steven Walker, a noteworthy Richmond artist who I have gotten to know via the web. He has a solo show hanging in the member gallery. I forget how encouraging it is to connect face to face with other artist. I don't get to do that often, so I came away inspired and feeling less alone. For me, painting is a rather solitary experience in every facet. I still have been unable to find a community of artist with which to ponder......

I decided to come off of caffeine and unwisely did it cold turkey which has created a miserable few days in which I have gotten little done. I have been searching for reference photos for "The Flowering Bull," my next painting and staring at a few unfinished smaller works waiting for more paint. It seems the final details are eluding me due to caffeine withdrawal.

Wednesday's painting

I returned from Atlanta, which is always an adjustment. Spending time with my sister and her kids and mom......I am watching my sister struggle and I am amazed at her strength and resilience, but they have been heavily on my mind since returning so I haven't been able to tackle anything this week, only a little shoving....I delivered the painting wednesday to Fredericksburg. It is something like dropping off your newborn at the nursery.......I did finish one painting yesterday. I am unsure if I want to do much more with it....I thought of covering it with paintball splatters....my late grandfather would love that idea because he hated cats....send any good ideas my way.

FCCA prep day.....

A day of processing and readjustment always follows being away. Back from Atlanta and doing laundry and getting the painting ready for the FCCA show.

I decided to go for the spray ketone varnish and have been applying thin coats all day....have the headache to prove it. I have a skeleton statement ready....a lot of artist release these amazingly wordy and obtuse statements. I am of the opinion that statements can hurt the work either by interpreting the work for the viewer or distancing them from it by general artist weirdness. As a matter of fact, artists are directly responsible for the pervasive idea that people other than artist cannot understand art. Some ideas in these statements are so bizarre (it seems the more bizarre the more artists like it) that NO ONE can get it. Artists seem to forget that the number one reason a patron buys a work of art is because it matches their couch. Sorry, fellow artists but its true. They don't care about our obscure theories.

Today's painting

Today's painting. I guess it doesn't look too much different from yesterday, but it is 3 hours of painting. My camera has a big issue with high contrast, too.I have no idea how to paint wool so I am working that out by trial and error. I begin with covering the entire canvas with a chromatic black......

New painting on the easel

Day one.

Long way to go.....this is the hardest part. Getting the drawing right and pushing the first applications of paint around can be frustrating. I haven't learned the lesson that it WILL come together. Whites are always tricky, too, because there are really no pure whites....

Ovis Nectarus - completed painting

"Ovis Nectarus"

24" x 30"

Oil on canvas