Magic

There's nothing better than listening to

Luka Bloom

for painting an Ireland painting...

I know I've mentioned him before and I often paint with his music playing. However, yesterday it really put me in a very special creative zone. I tweaked and signed four paintings! What a great feeling. Its not like I painted all four in one day. They were virtually done. I just find it difficult to bring them to completion. Too often, I'd hoped to capture something more. So they sit, ...unsigned.

Not yesterday. Like magic I could see exactly what I needed to do to them and I was fearless about charging in.

I never worked like this before. I'd finish one before starting another, focusing all my energy on the canvas at hand. But my process changed a bit. Now I let different layers dry before continuing. That, coupled with the many works in progress from my 3-4 painting classes, has my studio cluttered with unfinished works. Wet paintings in cross-hatch placement, grow on the floor from my walls towards the center of my studio. Sometimes I begin so many, they consume nearly all my working space! This lends itself to never finishing some. Are they just drying between layers or are they done?

Often I feel like I just fall short of really painting something spectacular. I know that sounds conceited, but something inside me says I can do better. You'd think I'd have figured it out by now...

Anyway, yesterday I was very excited about my accomplishment. Here posted is the painting I'd been toiling on all week. I was finally happy with it. Its a scene in Ireland and the distant mountain is Saint Patrick's mountain. It is the view from one of the artist's homes we visited. Can you imagine this being your daily view?

I wish you all days like yesterday was for me. Its a gift when it happens and everything falls so sweetly into place. Have a good one and thanks for reading...