"Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgement difficult" - Hippocrates

Enjoying  the 'process' of art is by far, to me, more important than the product or output.  Their are days when nothing is better than spending time in the studio among the paints, mess and blank canvas.  There are some days when it works, some days when it doesn't work.  Lately, I've been unable to 'focus' on painting, so I am using that 'un-creative' time wisely and doing book work, entering some shows, cleaning, catching up and so on - never a wasted minute!.
It was a real pleasure last weekend to attend the opening "Door County Treasures" at  the Edgewood Orchard Gallery.  This group show featured all the artists in the gallery that created work inspired by the beautiful Door Peninsula.  A wonderful time was had by all, despite the rain showers.  A walk through the ever-growing sculpture garden is always a treat, too!
So now, I will hope to get back to work with 'gusto' as the 'season' starts....

Labels: landscapes, minimalist oiland cold wax paintings

"In the evening I go up in the desert and spend hours watching the sun go down, just enjoying it, and every day I go out and watch it again.   I draw some and there is a little painting and so the days go by" - Georgia O'Keeffe

I truly believe that so much of 'art' and 'doing art' is the time you spend not actually painting, but the time you spend just contemplating, thinking, preparing, absorbing and just getting ready to paint!
I've had a busy couple weeks and haven't had much time in the studio, I was feeling that and it wasn't a good feeling.  Even though I was so busy with other things in life, I was still 'thinking' and 'contemplating' art and my next moves.  Today, I got back in the studio with gusto and it is all coming back together.  I spent some time 'changing' some paintings that I've been looking at and not liking, maybe they will work better this time.  I also spent some time experimenting with some new colors and am so enjoying that!
Sometimes it's the simple little things in life that are so extraordinary - my art surprises me every day!

Speaking of surprises - SURPRISE - I just bought the truck of my dreams!   A 1952 Ford Pickup - you will see me out either delivering flowers or taking some time to paint/sketch/contemplate the beautiful area that surrounds my home and studio.  (I'm still trying to get the stick/shift, no power steering down - but it's coming!)
Have a great day!

Change.
"Creativity involves process, and process involves change.  The truism we often hear is that we often resist change because change is difficult or change is painful.  This is not quite accurate.  It is the resistance to change that is difficult or painful." - quote from The Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron

As the season really, finally seems to be changing, as the flowers start to bloom everywhere (finally in the U.P.-we are a little behind) this change seems to bring anxiousness to me, new ideas, new paths.  Even though I feel this sense of change inside me, I really don't know what direction it is taking me.  Thank goodness for my ART!

Art is one constant in my life, I will always have it.  When troubled, happy, sad, busy I always go back to ART and everything is good once again!  What do you have that you can always go back to? What is your constant?

So as this is a busy month for me with a lot of Holiday, family, parties etc., I need to focus on my art and get back at it.  Today, listening to NPR, finding some centered balance, I've taken some time to gesso a few panels which is mindless art preparation, but feels so good.  Sometimes, after I haven't been painting for awhile, I feel 'fear' - 'fear' to get started again, I don't know why, but I have learned to overcome this and move on.  I have a feeling that these new gessoed panels will end up with color and lots of it . . . hmmm. . .

"The more faithfully you listen to the voice within you, the better you will hear what is sounding outside.  And only she who listens can speak." - Dag Hammarksjold
As I continue on this daily path of painting, it is interesting how COLOR moves me.  I love to experiment with color and the whole world seems like a canvas, especially during this brilliant springtime, when the buds of the trees are popping out in this bright green - unlike any other green I have ever seen.
So, all this color is starting to surround me - the flowers are popping up, apple blossoms, lilacs soon and so on - so why do I choose a palette of black and white recently?  Art is inside you, sometimes you have no or little control, so I have been experimenting with this black and white palette and am really enjoying the very, very minimalist feel of it.
Recently, I was cleaning out the studio and organizing my art book collection.  I came across "The Vein of Gold" - a Journey to Your Creative Heart" by Julia Cameron and I am so inspired to read this book over again - that is where I got this wonderful quote and inspiration for this blog post.  Have a great day everyone!