A Simple Life

 A Simple Life

20x16, soft pastel

The final push to complete this painting was a twelve hour day. I woke at 4:30am ready to knock it out...by 5:00 pm I ended up at the final stage...the “let it sit and percolate” stage.  While I’m happy with where it is right now, I also know there are bound to be a few tweaks before I call it finished.  Who knows, I might wake up in the morning and feel it’s finished "as is"...we’ll see.  

That’s about it! I hope you enjoyed following the process on this piece. Of course it reminds me of home...because it IS in my home but it also reminds me of simpler times and the perseverance of our ancestors especially our pioneers. They were strong and resilient as is the kettle and wool rug in this piece. It was definitely labor, but ultimately a labor of love! 

The Artist Within Summary

The journey I've been on since 2014 to find "The Artist Within" has been a lot of work. Far more than a full time job but, I've loved it! I spent hundreds of hours in the studio, met many new friends, and painted whenever and wherever I could. I remember at the beginning of this journey reading that "not until you paint 300 (some say 500) paintings do you find your style and voice as an artist". That statement alone was a very intimating thought...but here I am, finished with painting #521. So many of them were disappointing at the time because I was impatient to improve. Now that I look back on those pieces, I see the progress I was making. Each one taught me something and I can even find beauty in the worst of them. I'd say that old adage is more accurate than not. 

I'm sure there will be my fair share of duds in the future but I'll keep on striving for a masterpiece along the way. I hope to paint 30in30s on occasion to keep me on my toes and more playful with my subject matter. And, I hope to create more meaningful pieces as I did during this past year. 

I'm thankful to have lived long enough to experience this journey and am blessed with cherished family and friends in my life. Without them, this would have been a much lonelier time. 

Many blessings to you as you continue your own journey through this crazy life of ours!

Happy New Year!