Time to Play

Working with hard molding paste, drawing into it, letting it dry overnight, then beginning a teal-colored underpainting. 8×8’s on cradled panels.

I find it is important to have time to play with materials and motifs that I have been working with for a while. Despite having done over a hundred paintings of all sizes, I continue to find new ways to use the images that I find so appealing. I have been able to do this because I give myself ‘play time’. Meaning studio hours devoted to working with materials in a different way–either applying it in a new way, scraping or drawing into it in a new way, or mixing materials to see if I can slightly shift the outcome. I’m not looking for wholesale changes just a slight step to the side or forward that feels connected in some way to previous steps. This way I won’t lose my way. Sort of like artistic breadcrumbs.

(Paintings shown are on my website, ‘Through and Through’ and ‘Sharing’, 8×8. 

Lesson learned:  Baby steps count big.