Back in the Studio

I'm really having a hard time giving up art. I don't really want to but I feel like I need to use my time more efficiently. Do more family things. Work in the yard more. Maybe even clean the house occasionally. Once I pick up the paintbrush I have such a hard time putting it down. I want to paint for hours. And I did. All day Saturday. From very early in the morning until late into the night with sporactic breaks to fix meals for the family or pull a few weeds whenever the rain stopped. 

Beginning a new piece

This piece has a whole story behind it that is mostly an inside joke between my niece and I. This will be her birthday present  when it is complete. 

Rooster with a shiv

And the this is the mess I create when I start an idea collage board for my next painting. I pull out my collection of paper scraps, old paintings on paper, newspaper clippings, old maps, whatever I might have to make a collage that I can use as a jump off point for a new painting. I didn't get very far with this collage board because I decided it was time to purge some of these papers. This collection is just getting way out of hand. 

what a mess

I find myself looking at alot of art these days. Trying to find other inspiration and simply learning about how other artists work. So, the painting sometimes takes a backseat to websurfing and pouring over my artbooks. 

This is how my summer is going so far. I'm enjoying it and hoping to learn more as the summer goes on.