Artist speak

To paint.

Feel the paint glide over the wood.

Soft. Buttery.

Push. pull. Scratch through.

No agenda. 

Did I gesso?

Now…. I don’t recall. 

Maybe?

Wood absorbs differently than paper. 

Watercolor paper? Yes.

Bristol? Yes.

Than clay board. Yes. (and I don’t have any of this at the moment…. Has been a long time anyway).

Besides…. 

This isn’t a masterpiece. 

No museum is asking to hang this or any other piece I have.

But. 

I do already like the composition.

Instinctive? 

Intuitive. 

I believe so. (I am always contemplating. Wondering. Wandering?…. in my mind).

My eye and mind are quicker at what the next step should be.

Or two or even three steps will be.

And honestly in the first steps of a painting- I am ok with that.

Running amuck. 

It should be. (or I think it should be)

Go with the flow. 

Don’t overthink.

That will come once this first layer has dried.

Likely really dried?

Or a soft dry? (like a forced dry with a hairdryer? Lol.)

Oh my younger self would be whipping out that hair dryer in an instant.

But this older, wiser artist does let things dry overnight.

Sometimes magic happens when you let things dry naturally.

And to be fair, sometimes you want a hard dry. 

If you know. You know.

Next steps are more calculated. 

Slower.

Purposeful.

(this is where the gesso comes into play as a smile crosses my face…. I am sure now that IF ((and likely I did)) I gesso’d the panel- I likely used clear gesso so I could appreciate the wood underneath.)

Details.

Layers.

History.

Now the question is…. am I done?

xo. Kristin