The Artist Within: 2022

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Artistic Slump and What I’m Doing About it…

Hi there!

Basically, much of 2022 has been consumed with home projects and travel. And, honestly I’m still in a bit of a slump. I’ve intentionally not pushed myself to get back to the easel each and every day but have allowed myself to be distracted.

I do want to mention that I was honored with an 8 page article in the 2022 summer edition of the Pastel Journal…and I’m certainly humbled by it. But even that hasn’t propelled me forward. I’m not too worried about this slump since my other projects have included tapping into my creative side…but I’ll sure be happy when I’m finished and back into the groove once again. Perhaps in time for the Eagle Plein Air Festival.

Although I haven’t produced a lot of paintings these past few months…I will share them below. 😊

Monday, May 23, 2022

2021-2022 Artwork - Catching Up

More images of artwork completed in 2021-2022:

Digital - Avocado

Abstract Play

Abby version 1, 12x9

Echinacia 6x6

Paramount Pre-Dawn 9x12

Abby version 2, 12x12

Annabelle, 10x8

Footbridge in Summer #4, 9x12

Colorful Glass, 8x10

The Final Echinaceas, 8x8

Marianne Williams Park Plein Air - Gouache

digital - Sunflower

Pink Roses, oil 12x12

Fun Little Collage 2021

Plein Air at Edwards Greenhouse, oil 6x8

Near The Railroad Crossing, 8x10

Pink and White Petunias, 8x8

Ziki, 10x8

Digital - Cattails Across the Pond

Stack of Donuts, 10x8

Marianne Williams Park #2

Digital - Backyard Bird Sanctuary

Shed at Sunrise - oil, 6x6

Digital - Cascade Patio

Abby #3 - 12x9

Pear Study

Forsythia, 9x6

Digital - Petunia

Patio Sunflowers 12x12

Catching Up - Post COVID

It amuses me these days that I've strayed so far from the routine I had established while chasing "The Artist Within". Beginning my journey in 2014 with soft pastels, there was so very much work to be done to achieve my goals. Basically, I wanted to get to the point that I felt I could actually call myself an "artist" and not feel like an imposter. So, I painted, blogged, and uploaded works frequently to DailyPaintworks, selling my artwork to help fund the passion.

Now, after completing 711 paintings, I feel that I am actually an artist. But, continued growth is still my pursuit. As Leonardo da Vinci said: "A painting is never finished, only abandoned". There's almost always a sense of not quite reaching perfection within a painting....always a bit more in one's heart that is yet to be expressed...I suspect it's just a bit beyond human ability.

That said, I'm happy with my progress. Happy to have painted a handful of paintings I absolutely love and even happier to have painted something that someone else appreciates and enjoys even more than I do.

My home is filled to the brim with artwork, as well as the homes of many of my family members and friends. I hope a few pieces survive over the years to help inspire grandchildren, great grandchildren and beyond. I know I would have really enjoyed seeing works created by my ancestors.

So here we are...COVID (which began in 2019) is still circling the globe. Hopefully with vaccines and improving treatments we will see a day when we all feel we're beyond the actual pandemic. We're getting close, perhaps another year or two.

Below, I thought I'd share some of the (more or less) successful paintings from April 2021-May 2022 in an effort to "catch up". I hope you enjoy!

Frosty Morning #2, 12x12