Another Daily Painter is Born!

Fall Foliage

8" x 10"
Acrylic

I am really excited about my newest painting challenge. I have decided that daily painting is both enjoyable and helpful to me! For some months now, I have been painting daily; however, my paintings have typically been reasonably large canvases.It was quite difficult to complete such a painting in a single day, much less a single sitting.

I have always considered anything under the dimensions of 24" x 30" to be "small". In fact, I just couldn't imagine forcing my art - particularly my landscapes - into an 8" x 10". It seemed to me rather like forcing a square peg into a round hole. But, then I decided to try a "painting a day" challenge.

I felt like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs...nervous and tentative, I thought that I would first attempt a very simple still life acrylic painting on a 10" x 12" stretched canvas...H'mmm, let's get these green apples rendered correctly...are the shadows right??? Bold color is needed over here...that's looking pretty good...Hey, what's going on here? This is actually fun! And I am not limited creatively, as I thought I would be. I can choose the level of detail that I want. Wow!!! This is also challenging...I can complete impressionist images, quick and loose, or detailed images in this smaller format. WHY DIDN'T I TRY THIS BEFORE? (H'mmm... "there is nothing to fear , but fear itself").

Apples led to more apples. Then I decided to try a smaller carousel horse painting. Can I really complete a whole painting in a 6" x 6" space? That just seems so impossible! Take a deep breath. Is my paint ready? Brushes ready? Okay, now, breathe in and out, in and out. (So far, so good.)

H'mmm... I think this landscape is developing nicely. A few more highlights here and there. Oh, my goodness! I have completed a painting in a 6" x 6" space. And it is colorful, fun, and creative! I AM AMAZED! I can actually do this.

To make a long story short (oops - too late for that), another "Daily Painter" has been born! And I absolutely love this new challenge. It is so new to me that it has refreshed my art and my attitude toward the creative process. For weeks now, I have been completing daily paintings - many of them small 6" x 6" or 10" x 12" - but I still find time for my larger "sweeping landscapes".

I am so glad that I started doing this. I really want to share this journey with others, developing as a contemporary artist who truly loves the challenge,the profession, and the gift of life!