Reconnecting with the Magic of Color and Texture

Back when I was in banking, before I was a full-time artist, I'd dream of what it might be like having a full month to do nothing but make art. I couldn't even imagine a time would ever come when a full year wouldn't be enough time to pursue all my artistic interests. Yet I feel so grateful to have had this very "problem" over the past year or so. It's been a year filled with exciting, challenging, and fulfilling opportunities. The other side of that coin is that every year 'something' doesn't get the attention I'd like to give it.

And so it's been with painting. My painting materials have been boxed up since my move to Stockton. As long as I kept the boxes covered I could sort of ignore their call...  sort of.  As sculpture projects got completed and things opened up a bit, a voice calling to me from all those covered boxes of painting materials became louder and more persistent. I pulled the boxes out and opened them and was flooded with waves of excitement. I didn't realize how much pent-up creative energy there was until I allowed myself to reconnect with the ideas that had been 'cooking' for months and months.

I'm thinking about what it means for me to have time to paint now. It's a different creative process than sculpture, like the difference between running and skating. Sculpture requires intensive commitment, a direct and significant physical expenditure for every inch of progress I make. Painting, on the other hand, allows me to ride the creative impulse with gently sweeping arm movements and subtle gestures of my hand. The rhythms of painting,  depending less on physical effort than welded metal sculpture, gives me the freedom to let myself be guided by the evolution of the work itself. 

I'm excited to have the chance to let go, step into painting again, and create.