Staying in the zone

It's one thing when the world is falling apart, and another
when it hits your own tiny nest egg. Thanks greedy
banking guys with the foresight of what? Snails?
No -- snails operate by feel, and although they leave
a trail of slime, they do no harm. But I am moving
way too fast down the beach here.

What I want to say is that even if yours, and mine and
everyone's little protection against the chill of future
peril is diminished, you are still fine. I am still fine,
because we can create, and people will always need
the wonders we produce. I do believe that.

Thinking about summer
4 1/4 " x 6 1/4"
acrylic on watercolour paper

I found a cache of small paintings in acrylic on watercolour
paper that I'd put away for the next show, and forgotten
for a couple of years. I'm glad that when I discovered them,
I liked them. My work is always changing, but in the same
way I learn from my blog friends' paintings, I learn from
mine. This is a painting of my son, Sam, at a much younger
age. I like his pose, with that incredible flexibility of childhood.
He looks like he's right on the edge of the next stage --
probably 11. I know I painted it long after the fact.

The cardinal is the bird I'd love to include in all my
paintings. When one lands in the apple tree, or on the
fence I feel a sudden feeling of bliss. That's something
no banker can influence.

Have a who-cares-about-money?-day.

Small is beautiful

Trying out new ideas is a lot less fraught, if you work on a smaller canvas. Here are a two
7x9" paintings, I did a couple of years ago. In the first I
was playing around with a red ground, something
I'd just started working with. In the second I started the
drawing on bond paper, then gel mediumed it to a
canvas, painted it in acrylic, and applied a thick
gel medium glaze.

What did I learn? I prefer working on either
watercolour paper with acrylics, or canvas.
Good to know. Both paintings sold, and
were fun to do. That's always my first goal with
painting -- enjoying myself.


Have a cutting-edge day!