Thursday - one week ago we were on our return home from a wonderful week in the Dominican to celebrate my daughter's wedding - a very, very exciting time for all who participated. My daughter had spent months planning this monumental task of putting a destination wedding together and did a fantastic job.
It usually takes me about one week to recover from a trip away from home, and this time was no exception. Although I have put brush to canvas since being back home today was the first day where I felt totally exhilarated from my time in the studio. It is a continual love/hate relatinship because I feel reluctant at the start of any painting but persevere with the application of paint - as the process runs its course I am encouraged by the visible content of the overall painting, whether it be successful or not. I think this is because I am forever learning and see and feel a continual expansion of my knowledge. Yet again, it never seems as though I am reaching the end of the line - the more I learn the more it seems that there is to learn.
My soul sings when I sit at the end of my morning in my studio in front of my work - doesn't matter whether it is completed or not. I am not a fast painter. I paint for a while, take my work upstairs where there is more natural light - ponder over the progress, decide what needs to be changed, improved upon, the overall composition, and so on. I continue this process until I am satisfied with the painting - if I am not and know that it can't be saved I put it aside and sometimes I will return to it many weeks, or months later. If I really do not like it I take out the gesso and recover the entire work - I have never felt cheated by doing this.
My two children have left home and have started their own families - my husband and I enjoy each others company and our time spent together is ever so precious. I thank God that at this time in my life I have found my passion in painting - although my family is still at the top of my list - my painting time is so personally rewarding for my soul, my mind, my overall well being... thank you.
