Things I Forget

It’s been awhile since I started something new.

I forget that all of my illustrations were once single paintings that seemed to paint themselves. I mean not entirely of course, but I felt led along, certain things came up, little surprises here and there. The beginning of any painting is fun.

Struggle does eventually enter in. Today for example, I’m not a fan of some things, but that’s how it goes. I actually love when a painting becomes a composition puzzle. And a color puzzle. Not liking how it’s “working” is how I come up with ideas to change things. The worst thing I can do at this point is get attached to any part. I might like how that one horse came out or the little fish under the blue glass. I had no intention to paint a fish so I like that it showed up. But again I’m tying for no attachment…

Painting is like a little bundle life lessons. Who needs Joe Dispensa when I’m getting schooled by unintentional symbolism in my own art? I’m kinda kidding, but it’s true. I started out thinking of my artist friend Margi, I still wake up with that Rolling Stones song in my head. If Margi were here she would be painting. Hence the horses. I need them to be more subtle eventually, but for now, this painting is about remembering.

Margi, my dear friend is inspiring me and reminding me that wild horses really can’t drag me away from, well, art. Not Instagram, not book promotion, not query letter writing, not even classroom teaching.

We are artists, Margi and I. At our core, we were born this way and truly, being honest, we love it. Today because I can, and she can’t, I’m painting for both of us.