Reviewing The Basics

Do you ever feel it is sometimes important to review the basics of the work you do? I feel as though it has been important to me over the last few weeks. One of the reasons I think I have wanted to do this is because I am exploring new processes and new mediums, too. As I have said before, I am enjoying the use of FW Pearlescent Inks along with liquid and regular acrylics. No, no I have not given up on the glazing, but it seems as though I have to keep myself interested in other things while I also enjoy that very time consuming process of clear glazing. This is a little bit of one of the pieces I am currently working on. I know I should be documenting the process, however I just can't seem to take myself out of the flow of work to prepare that linear type document. There is more to do with this and you are not seeing the entire piece, I thought you might like to see how the inks are responding.

Now getting back to the idea of re-exploring the basics I have found a wonderful book called Painting Abstracts by Rolina van Vliet. While I am not one to follow a program, I am finding picking and choosing some of the exercises are quite helpful. It is helping me to think about the working methods which work well for me and reminding me to evaluate my work with the elements and principles of art in mind. While they sit back there constantly poking at my intuition, I think it is helpful to bring them to the front of my evaluation process from time to time.

If you enjoy abstract painting, I think you will find this book useful. If you are interested in exploring abstraction, I think this book is very useful in helping to understand what it is all about and what actually goes into the work of abstract painting.

Thanks to Amazon for the use of this image.

Do you find you have to make yourself step back from your work or does it come naturally? Have you ever felt as though it is important to return to basic ideas to begin to build again? How does the process work for you?

I hope all is well where you are and spring or fall is finding a way into your days!

I will be back with you soon!

Creating With Heart

You may recognize some or all of this doodle.
I was only playing around with acrylic paint on rice paper.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Last week, Dianne wrote about an encounter with a man while she was working a show. The man wondered about what the artists put into the paintings. If you have not read this wonderful story, please go now and read it. The man has such valid points to make.

This week, I came across this article after seeing one of this man's paintings which drew me into it in one of the most profound ways. I quiver to think of my response if I were to see one of these in real life. I may be like an Elvis groupie and literally faint from awe. I know James Nares puts a bit of himself into each painting he creates! While you are at it visit his web site. I get the same feelings when I see a Mark Rothko painting. I know there are many others, however this came off the top of my head...Rothko is always on the top of my head.

It is the aspect of placing a part of your soul on the surface or into the work which becomes so meaningful. This is true across the board with art, but I believe it is true with any profession. Consider the nurse who gives that little bit more, the teacher who gives that little extra care and the scientist who spends the extra time to be very sure his project will be safe. People who give more of themselves because it is all they know how to do. They, indeed, are paying it forward and not knowing it while it happens.

How about you...do you put your all into your creative work (I think I know the answer for many of you)? Are you aware of art which is full of the artist's heart and soul? Who does this in your opinion?

Get Well Yvette...and A Little Experiment

Yvette, at Felting Your Soul, is having some health challenges. Her blog friends are holding her up through a difficult time with a posting of this candle. I want to thank Martine for the image of this very special candle. You can read a bit more about it at Martine's blog. We all wish Yvette a very speedy recovery.

I have tried a little experiment....
...and they all do not work out.

I have been reading a lot about gessoing paper for painting. Now I am not much for doing paintings I have to eventually frame, but I was really curious about this. You are supposed to use heavy watercolor paper, gesso it (one or two thin coats) then paint on it as you would canvas. That is what I did with this piece. Now it really is nothing more than some paint left over from some other paintings I am doing...so nothing major was in the works here. I don't think I really got it, though. Why did I need to gesso the paper? What did that bring me? I felt as though I even had to be careful because of the added weight of the gesso. Do you think that is really the case?

Now, I am tossing this out to you. What am I missing with this? Is using the gesso on the paper a preservation technique? Does it make the painting longer lasting? Help me out here, my dear friends.

I can't say this is an experiment gone wrong, but I would like to learn more from it if you have some enlightening thoughts.

Everyone have a very special day! Yvette, feel better very soon.

Getting Lost and A Conversation this Week

Since I shared with you the testing I had done on the acrylic paper, I thought you might like to see what I did with the rest of the pack. You can clearly see the ones which have the pearl powder pigment. One I did as a weaving and that did not work well since the paper is just too stiff. Now I added something to the red paint, but now I cannot remember if it was pearl acrylic paint (not powder) or inference. That is so like me, getting into the moment and not "thinking" about the process. So what good are these experiments if I do not remember? If anyone has insight or can tell from the photo, I am eager to hear your thoughts.

I really have to do better with recording my experiments, but I do get so lost in not thinking when I am in the studio. I know Elis has also brought up this subject, and she is trying to stay present. Do you have any suggestions on how I might accomplish this challenge? Do you get lost in your work while you are working? I would love to hear from you.

Stay tuned this week because I have another Conversation to be published. I will be talking to Dianne McNaughton on Wednesday. Dianne writes Intuitive Painting which is a wonderful, contemplative blog. She is not only an artist extraordinaire, but has a wonderful life in South Africa to share with us. Please come back to enjoy this wonderful conversation. I think you are going to be very happy with the insights Dianne shares with us all. I think you will find it an exciting read.

Have a Great Day!

Still Trying To Get Stuck In and Donating Art To Charity

I know you have seen this painting before. It is one I did a long time ago, but I no longer have it here. No, it did not sell (it seems not a lot is selling these days), but I have donated it to a charity. It sold at auction and sold well. It is currently hanging in someone's vacation home on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.This painting was painted in England during Bonfire Night, so you can understand the inspiration.

Many bloggers do wonderful giveaways, and I need to take a page from their blog book. What I am wondering today is do you donate your art to charities?

Today I commented on Andrea's blog I am having a difficult time getting the things I am doing photographed. No, not because I have technical problems but because I have head problems. :) I have enjoyed working in my studio and have been making my mark each day, but I have not been photographing what I am doing. I promise to get to that as soon as possible so you can see what is going on in my art world. I was given some new, helpful photographic tools for Christmas (new, strong tripod and a flash diffuser) so there is really no excuse for my behavior. Do you have problems getting stuck in with some little parts from time to time? What do you do to get yourself out of it?

Everyone have a day full of love and grace. Those of you in the Northern Hemisphere...keep warm!

Magazine Submissions and A Tag

If you will remember I posted an opportunity to submit to a magazine called The Truth About The Fact. I decided to take that opportunity and submitted a few images (photos and photos of art work) myself. One of the submissions was this photo taken in a Stockholm, Sweden hotel bathroom. I had never seen this before nor since...granted, this was not a 5 star hotel, but it was not a 1 star, either. :) I think it is not only funny, but clever. It is in black and white because that is what the magazine needed for the submissions.Now I have also been tagged by Jessica Torrant. The tag is to list six unusual things about myself and tag six other people letting them know they have been tagged. I am also to link to my tagger. So here are my six things:

1. My son says I am made of surplus parts :)
2. I love the movie What Dreams May Come
3. I love Marmite
4. I am really into Victorian novels written by women at the moment
5. Snowy winter days in front of a fire with my journal, a good book and cups of excellent, strong English tea is very appealing to me.
6. My sweet husband usually leaves "Sunrise Earth" on the tv for me to watch when I first get up in the morning (if you do not know it you should find it. The photography is excellent and it is only soothing music.)

So there you have it. Who do I tag...every reader who would like to take the challenge. Now visit Jessica's blog...you are going to enjoy her very much!

Have a Great Day!

Art Process, Nature Process and Life Process

I love watching the development of work from other artists. I find the process of art making fascinating to say the least. Andrea knows this and a little while back she sent me an envelope with some of her process bits and pieces. I thought you might like to see two of them today.She featured this little bear on her blog last year. Isn't he the cutest?
This is one of my favorite things, however there were quite a few in this particular packet. I love, love, love seeing the marks Andrea made as she was working...and making notes to herself, too. I hold things like this very dear.

While I am talking about parts which make the whole I thought I would share this brush stroke nature made for me one day. I pulled this apple out of the bag and lo and behold there was the nicest stroke of the brush just for me to enjoy. Well, I could not keep it for myself, so here, you enjoy it too.

Do you find great joy in art processes in general...yours, others or natures? Do you cherish small bits which are supportive of how art is made?
While I was off playing with my family, blog friends Suki and Dianne did a tag I thought was wonderful. Dianne encouraged me to take the tag and go with it, so I thought I would do that now. If this interests you, please feel free to take it and go along with it, too.

I am supposed to list five things I do daily to keep my spirit happy and healthy. So here we go:

1. I wake slowly allowing me the time to contemplate how my day may unfold, then do a bit of yoga (the sequence is never the same).

2. I will do a short meditation at the beginning of each day.

3. I make a connection with friends via email, blogs or phone.

4. I make a mark every day (this is a new thing which Andrea has encouraged me to do).

5. At the end of the day, I will journal and note 5 things I am grateful for that day. Reminding myself to always be grateful is critical for me.

So there you have it...I think there are probably many more things, however the tag was for five. I would have added art making, however I do not always get to that each day. What do you do each day to feed your spirit?

Have a Beautiful Weekend!

Seeing verses Visual

I am trying to get my blog life back to some sort of reasonable normal here. I have missed you all, but I have so very enjoyed having my family home and spending time with my children. Thank you all for being patient with me.

Some of you had some questions about the eyes on the last post. You were wondering if they were mine... :), remember I am 50 years old and am not one who is really into plastic surgery. These are my eyes without any make up, I might add!Do you think they look similar to the eyes on the last post? Older, maybe? Well, Babs gave a tip because she guessed they were Elizabethan, and she was right. The eyes on the last post were my daughter, Elizabeth's. Some people think she and I look a lot alike...even Elizabeth. We often put our heads together and snap a photo, so I have decided to show you our eyes together. Here you go:
You guessed right, I am the one with the glasses (which have since been changed, too).

These photographs of eyes have had me thinking about how much we, as visual artist, rely on our vision. In many cases, our eyes are our living. Several painters have become blind later in life, like Claude Monet. I can't imagine how difficult this must have been. A few months ago, though, I read a lot about Esref Armagan who has been blind since birth and paints in a realistic style! Can you imagine? I actually watched him draw, in perfect perspective, an old Italian building on a television show once. When you visit his web site and see the paintings he produces, you will probably wonder how in the world he does this since he has never seen these actual images...or has he? So here is today's question...do we have to see in order to be visual?

The Euphoria of Creativity

San, who writes A Life With A View, handed out this award. I am going to hand it out to anyone posting a comment to this post. Enjoy and share the love.

Last night some thoughts kept nagging at me - again...I have got to get these things out of my head so I can get some sleep (thank goodness for my journal, right?) All of the lovely comments to my last post kind of got me going...mainly for myself last night, but this morning I am interested in what is true for you.

Do you feel as though all parts of your life are your art? Is each day an artistic expression? Do you create art when you are paying the bills and emptying the rubbish bin?

As I said in the previous post, I think I believe art is the perception of the person experiencing the work in question - the creator or the viewer. I feel as though it is the state of mind at the time of creation or experience. If this is true, then I could find the art in everything, though. I am not quite sure that happens for me. So maybe my idea of art is not quite right.

When I paint a canvas I feel a euphoria which cannot be explained, and I call it art. I can only hope anyone who sees my work may also consider it art, but I am not assured of that fact.

When I go to a gallery , I am told I will see art there. I have no reason to doubt that and enter with a sense of anticipation I hope will evoke that sense of euphoria. Sometimes it really happens and other times it leaves me wondering how some things get away with being called art. The thing is I am certain to another viewer it is without a doubt art.

There are times when I sew, cook or plant a flower when I feel as though I am creative or artistic. I have said before that being a mother is the most creative and rewarding experience I have ever had. I feel creative when I do these things as well as when I paint. Here is the rub, though, I can tell you without a shadow of doubt I DO NOT/HAVE NOT EVER felt creative when I write checks, clean the house or do laundry.

How about you? What tasks completely fill you with a sense of creativity and artistry? What tasks do not?

Have a Beautiful Day!

note, my posts and comments on your blogs may be a little less frequent over the next several weeks, but I will be getting to you.

Asking Questions/ Searching for Answers

Because so many of you responded to the previous post I was inspired to draw more of these faces and evaluate what different lines might mean on the face. These simple lines of the basic features bring to mind so many things and I am reaching into these lines to come up with some meanings behind the images. Any of you who regularly read this blog know what comes off the tip of my pen, brush, hand, etc. does not come from any pre-planning on my part. It just happens. I know many of you inspire me with the posts on your blogs (just consider how many of us were touched the last two days by Andrea's original post). These are not real faces I see, but lines I am feeling which evoke the idea of a face. I know there are more of these which need to come out of me, so watch out.

If any of you are interested in reading a wonderful book about the subject of spreading love, I recommend The Power of Kindness by Piero Ferrucci. A year ago I said it was the best book I had read in 2007. Today, I have to add in 2007 and 2008. I highly recommend it.

There is something else on my mind today. I read this article yesterday and it made me think about what makes something art. The article is about a show at SFMOMA (San Francisco MOMA) of early science photographs. So is this an art exhibit of science photographs? Is it actually art? Is there a fine line here? Or is the difference between art and science actually a point of view?

It seems to me these are images about the documentation of what may be considered science, but it is really nature's paintbrush being documented. Originally, it was documented as a means of studying the subject, however they are seen as art by others. I see science as a way of organizing thoughts and explaining what is often natural, and art is the expression of visions or experiences in a way it may not have been expressed before. Sometimes, nature gives us an opportunity to see life as it has not been seen before...is that, at that point, art? Is this what we are seeing here?

In his book, Art Heals, Shaun Mcniff says:

...Artists are the best sources for understanding the psychic effects of creative expressions. They typically stay close to the physical qualities of arts rather than using them to advance a theoretical position. (127)

If you think about it, scientists want to advance that theoretical position moving it forward until it is proven. It seems to me, many artists do not care if it is proven or not. If it feels right to the artist, then it is right for them and that is what matters. Artist just apply what feels right and what is true for them is what feels true.

So this brings me back to the exhibit. Do you think the point of view is what makes this an either/or issue? For the scientific mind, it is documentation of the facts, but to the artist is was a new way of seeing.

Okay, I have gone off on a ramble here, I know. I kind of share with you what pops off the end of my fingers. Lately these ramblings relate to something I have read...another one of my passions. Now I am interested in what you have to say, of what you have to share.

I wish for each of you a wonderful weekend of love and of spreading love.

Bits and Pieces, Again!

Sometimes I do odd things...well, maybe more than sometimes...and purchasing this sampler pad of a variety of canvases was one of those times.I know the intended use is to test out the different types of canvas, but I am not going to follow that convention...who do they think I am anyway? :) So this sat around my studio until it caught my eye yesterday. You see, I had some paint left over and still wanted to paint. So I pulled off one of these canvases and laid down a coat of indigo acrylic. No, actually, I laid down indigo on 3 sheets of this. I let it dry then did some playing like this...
I know this is a typical Kim painting, but I do have a thing for these horizons. What you are seeing here is copper and pearl acrylic. Now, what do you think I should do with these little bits of painted, un-stretched canvas? Mmmm... Well, it was fun to do and it is an interesting way to play around while you are waiting for the large canvas to dry.

I want to send out a very special HUG to Suki today as she deals with a trying time.

I wish for you a beautiful day!

Abstractions

I have said I often get things in my head and I must do things to get them out. One night last week I woke up and had these line faces in my brain. I knew if I did not draw them, I would not get back to sleep . Does your art keep you awake or wake you from sleep?I ended up drawing about 10 of them before I could put the sketchbook down. As you can see, they are nothing but very quick line drawings which were quite simplified.
They are just ink on sketchbook paper. I know I will make more of these, and I have no idea what will come from them. The thing is this is kind of different for me in a way. I was thinking about abstractions and abstract paintings. Some paintings come purely from emotions. As you know I love doing those a great deal and they mean a lot to me. Other abstractions are simplifications of recognizable images. Clearly, we can find examples of a combination of these abstract techniques, but I am wondering if you are attracted to one form of abstraction or another? Do you find you gain more, personally, from one form of abstraction over another?

I still have these faces in my head and you will probably see more of them. Andrea keeps encouraging me to keep my sketchbook going on a daily basis. Often I will mire myself into greater detail when I sketch, so this might be something I am exploring to keep this sketching going on a more regular basis. Do you sketch each day? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Happy Monday to Everyone!

Tuesday's Bits and Pieces

So I am a sucker sometimes for containers. If they are unusual, then I will consider purchasing them. So this is an ink bottle, and it is full of black ink. I don't use ink all that much, but the bottle drew me in when I saw it. You, too, can purchase one at Art Supply Warehouse for $7 or less if you act soon and have the current coupon. I really like seeing the bottle sit on my table. Silly, isn't it?

I have also come across an article about what makes people successful in their chosen careers. Of course, artists are not profiled and a portion of this article suggests just what artists have known all along. Actually, I was reading it when I remembered a story I read from a source I cannot put my hands on now (if you know it, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due). A professor of art teaching a pottery class at an American University decided to divide his class in two parts. Those students in one half of the class would receive an A if they could create the perfect pot by the end of the semester. The students in the other half of the class would receive their grade based on the quantity of pots they produced during the semester. As you might guess the "perfect" pot came from the students who also produced the greatest number of pots in the semester.

I do not get nearly the quantity of time in my studio I would like, because there are so many people who depend on me. Maybe I should spend time at night painting. Do you feel you get as much time as you would like in your studio?

Everyone have a beautiful day.

Fly Away

I know you have seen this before, but I have a purpose in sharing it with you again.This was the photograph of a lily which I put through Dumpr. I became interested in the shape in the center of this circle. I am interested in some of the other aspects, too, but this image came to me a lot. Maybe if I just did a bit of sketching it would leave me alone.
I tried a few things like this in a large sketchbook with some charcoal. It was fun to do and made me want to pick up charcoal more often, but it was not enough.

You know where this is leading, don't you? So here you go:
After a lot of playing around with paint on this canvas, this is what I ended up with. It is 30" x 40" gallery wrapped, staple-less canvas in all acrylic. The splattering which appears "white" in the photo is actually pearl glaze. Yes, I know it is not centered and that seemed quite right to me for several reasons...this image knocked me off center a bit and it added to the feeling of flying away. Now, with that in mind, I have decided to title this painting, "Fly Away". I decided to photograph this before I add the clear glaze as it is a lot easier to get some kind of reasonable photograph. I hope it will leave me alone now.

Does this happen to you when an image continues to irritate until you work through it? Rarely do I have this problem, but this time it drove me crazy. Maybe one of the reasons is I could not paint as often as I wanted to paint. I do not know.

I hope to spend some time in the studio this weekend. I have a few more things I need to accomplish, but that is always the way, right? How about your weekend, are you looking forward to something fun?

Have a Great Weekend!

Hiring An Agent...and A Friday Smile

photo provided by The Associated Press

This is Cholla, the painting horse from Nevada, USA. Now I know you have seen other animals who paint professionally, and many of their paintings are similar. I actually think it is rather cool these animals are getting in touch with their creative side. But the thing about Cholla is his painting "Big red Buck" has been selected to exhibit in Italy. In addition, he has also exhibited in New York and San Francisco.

Now I, for one, am very excited about Cholla's success. Isn't it wonderful he can help promote instinctive art? Now here is what I think is the key to his success...his agent! Yes, I think that since it is a stretch to think Cholla actually does his own marketing one could probably attribute his wonderful success to the agent he hires. Here is my question to you...do you think there is a chance we might band together to hire this agent, too?

In all seriousness, I hope you enjoy your weekend and do visit Cholla's web site. (And note, you might have to scroll the screen to the right to see the sight.)

Mindless Doodling

I know this is not a good photograph, but bear with me here.As many of your know I really like to do these doodles. And as Andrea has encouraged me, I am working on playing in my sketchbook each day since getting into my studio is not happening all that often. I also do these things because I am a process person. I love the process more than the end result. Are you and end result artist or a process artist?

Now, this is a funny thing I wanted to ask you and show you. You might be able to note some of these shapes are outlined in black and some are not. When I first did this, I use a gold pen to create the lines on watercolor paper, then I used the Inktense pencils as the color for the shapes made by the gold pen. And because I love the process so much, I decided maybe outlining each shape in black would be interesting. I even considered layering the black as texture in some shapes, but changed my mind on that. And since my time is limited these days, I haven't completed the black lines, but I thought it would be interesting for you to see the difference. Basically, I will use the exploration of these doodles for ideas for future art. Do you think the black lines attract or detract?

I hope you are getting more time in your studio these days than I am. I am snatching some bits of time, so I hope to be able to show you something before very long.

Have a Beautiful Day!

The Past To Understand The Future

Any of you who have been reading my blog for any length of time know I come to painting via design...interior design specifically. The image above is a basic design project I did which needed to be based on a grid. It is marker on vellum.

We all have a great story to tell as our progression to art and many of those have been revealed in the Conversations I have had with artist here on this blog (please see the list to the right to go to any of those conversations). Also, you can read about the way other artist have gotten their start in this article. I have always found hearing these stories helps me recognize my own story. Still, this is a way of better understanding where we are going by were we have been. Do you find this is true for you, as well? Can you tell I like contemplation and processes?

And I am still very interested in hearing from you about your Myers Briggs if you are willing. The post before this one is all about that and reading the comments is really great fun, too.

If you have a moment let me know how you are doing!

Enjoy Your Day!

Playing Around...

This is a quick shot...clearly not centered and not well lit...of one of the things I have been doing in my studio. Yes, I even threw some paint on the wall...but I had not painted that room on purpose and will have to prime it anyway (wallpaper).

I seem to do this. When I have been out of the studio for a while, I tend to want to do something which is poured or thrown rather than brushed. I wonder why that is? This is actually a bit of all three (poured, thrown and brushed). First it is a canvas which was painted before, and I wasn't crazy about it at all. So I painted over the original with Paynes Grey and allowed some of the paint from before show through. Then I poured some paint (pinks, lavenders, blues). Once that dried...took a while...I mixed some pearl acrylic with some of the clear glaze of which I have become so fond and painted that over the whole thing. I did this 4 times...once vertically, once horizontally and in two different oblique directions. The last thing I have done here is to pour and throw the same colors over the dried pearl effect.

What techniques appeal to you when you have been away from your studio for some period of time? Do you paint over or use parts of previous works you are not pleased with? By chance would your studio wall be reminding you of a Pollock?

I have no idea where this is going, if it goes anywhere. But I thought why not show you messes, too. It is all acrylic on a 30" x 40" canvas.

Tiny Bits, Daydreaming and Unfinished work!

Some of you may have seen these on the work surface (read: bed) of my mobile studio in Vermont. Well, this is how they turned out. I quite possibly will add some clear glazing, but photographing them now is easier than with the glaze. These are 4 x 4 inch canvases...so tiny for me. I also have some 4 x 12 inch canvases I might place along side these for a complete look, but for now this is the way they have turned out. They are all acrylic and have no name...but I am sure that will come. :)

Today Suki asked if we leave our art unfinished and if that bothered us that it would be sitting there needing to be completed. For me, leaving it there for me to contemplate is not a problem...it will either tell me what it needs to have happen or I will paint over it in time. I actually have two paintings in progress right now which have not been touched for close to 2 months (so sad for me). But as I was thinking about this, I recalled an article I read about daydreaming. The article, not surprising to many, talked about the importance of having the time to daydream. But I thought how much unfinished work is like daydreaming or it encourages daydreaming...clearly depending on how you approach it.

What do you think? Is unfinished work like daydreaming? Or does having unfinished work stimulate you to daydream?

The Power of Simplicity

I opened my email this morning to find Robert Genn's newsletter which arrives there two times each week. Today, Robert was talking about how important it is to look for simplicity. He said he was thinking about how difficult it is to express to people wanting to learn about art how to see in order to find inspiration for their art. So I started thinking about how so much successful art really comes from detailed looking at simple shapes and environments. Consider one of the common things someone wants to do when they first begin to draw is draw a landscape...a broad sweeping vista they try to reproduce. Too much information too fast just gets things too confused creating some not so good art.

On Sunday when I was cleaning brushes and little paint pots, and when I looked into the sink I saw this. I ran for the camera:


I know, I know this is really simple and really silly. But I had to take the photo, because it was so simple and in some way, I could see something happening with this in the future. What I have to do is grab the moment and then I begin to break things apart rather than add to them. Can you see anything in this photo?

But this isn't the end....no, no, no... on Saturday, my husband tells me I have a package in the mail. A package, for me? I didn't order anything! But there it was a lovely gift from our dear friend, Babs and her little grandson! They had painted me a gift. It is called Kim's Garden and came complete with some lovely seeds for my flower garden. Isn't this just lovely?
Now Babs knows I adore children and especially her painting with this very special little boy. Now this all got me thinking. Consider children's painting and how simple they can be. Now granted Babs helped her little grandson know when to quit...he was really interested (I am guessing) in understanding what the paint was doing on the paper...and it was doing some great things. Thanks Babs!

So the next time I am considering a composition, I need to remember to see my inspiration through the eyes of a child...see it, break it apart and then consider the details.

So how do you approach your inspirations when trying to translate them to your art?

Tomorrow is TREAT DAY! I am having a conversation with Lynette Clay who writes Original Art by Lynette Clay. Believe me, you are in for another adventure! I have one thing to also say...please have some patience with me on Thursday. My father is having surgery and I will be spending the day at the hospital with him and my mother. It may take me some time to get the comments published, but I will and will respond to each of you. Just asking you to hang in there with me.

Until tomorrow for the Exciting Conversation...