There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.

I've been toying with this idea for ages, finally decided on the right figure and composition this week.  

Now that I have the room, I decided to take advantage of the space and use my overhead projector for the first time - almost four years in storage, it's about time I used it. But the smallest it would get (and still be in focus) was still too big for the canvasses I had.  So I went to the hardware store and picked up a few sheets of 2'x4' birch plywood.  It's the largest painting I've done in a long time.   Eek!! 

I've been making it a point to stop periodically and take pictures of each stage. I've never done it that way before, since I generally like to finish paintings in one sitting...   I have the feeling that it's going to take me a while to finish this one.    

This is just the underpainting to get the  colours and shadows figured out before I start the real painting...

waiting... for what...?

I have been bouncing off the walls of my skin for days... weeks now... vibrating with the urge to create something.  It's the most frustrating thing in the world, this all-consuming need without the inspiration to temper it.  To make it useful.  To make it more than just this paralyzing itch that is always moving just ahead of where I'm trying to scratch with fingers I have no control over.

I've started several pieces mostly just as busywork to keep my hands occupied, if not my mind.  Even finished a few.  

I did these figures months and months ago, but couldn't decide what to do for the background so I just stuck it in a box and left it for a while.  I'm still not sure if I finally figured out that this was enough or if I just gave up and did what I could to correct previous missteps:

Having such a simple background, on one hand feels like sort of a cop-out, since I didn't really even think about what to do, I just did the first/easiest/simplest thing that popped into my head just to get it finished.  But I think it keeps it from being too cluttered. 

There's still a few things I want to do to it, more highlights/shadows on the rocks, shading on the leaves...  strengthen a few outlines...  Need to find a title too.

Out of the Rolling Ocean - still splashing in puddles

My last "studio" was definitely getting a bit claustrophobic by the time I moved.  Working in such a small space I'd started to produce very small pieces, didn't have room for anything I couldn't hold in my lap...  So when I moved I chose a place where I could have more space to work on larger pieces.  I get this nice big (relatively speaking) studio and what do I do?  

I keep working small!!!  

1.5" x 2" !!!!  

I gotta stop doing this!