'Waiting to Spring'

acrylic and colored pencil on wood

2012

When it comes right down to it, it is simple.  I paint what I paint.  I make decisions as I paint but I don't normally decide what the end product will be.  When I look at a finished painting my hope is to experience an emotion-usually reflecting the feelings I experienced whilst painting.  This painting makes me feel good!  I started out thinking, hm, maybe I should choose a palette more somber, darker...and then the colors began to flow.  And I let them.  I LOVE color.  Why try to fight it?

Recently someone suggested I do more of my trees.  It is something that I want to do but when I sit at my easel and say, I will paint trees now, it backfires.  Is it my rebellious nature that I just cannot shake?  Maybe it's the years of being an illustrator and having people tell me what to do and how to do it.  Or something else?

Painting at its purest gives me a sense of freedom-that is why I do it.  It takes me to a place where there are no worries...about kids, money, a dirty house, dogs with issues, approval, disapproval.
If it sells, great!  If it doesn't, I gotta do it anyway.