"Standing Tall"

($40.00.....6" x 6".....Water Soluble Oils on Gessobord)

"Standing tall with discipline." These evergreens are standing tall in a sea of aspens. This reference photo is from Durango, Colorado. The hillside had a lot of trees that had already lost their leaves, but there was still a sea of brilliant yellow. People with discipline are like these evergreens that stand out and grow very tall. They move forward in life.

Discipline is never easy after the first three days. With all of the comforts we have and the continual buffet of technological equipment, it can be very difficult to push past all of that and actually get things done. 

I know an artist that paints so much that I am quite sure she can also do it in her sleep. She is able to mix whatever color she sees in the landscape without hesitation. That is a worthy goal and one which I aspire to, but alas, I have not completed my 1,000 paintings yet. I haven't even completed my first 100. And that is the point.

Rather than wasting time wishing you could paint as well as someone else, it is best to just get started. With just one painting per day, you can at least reach 100 in a few months. There is nothing an artist can do that is quite as practical as learning how to mix colors from a limited palette. The books on color and looking at the color wheel leaves you with head knowledge, but it is useless in teaching how to mix color.

You learn how to do that with disciplined practice....every single day. On the other hand, it cannot feel like drudgery. So it is imperative to create paintings you have a passion to do. That one word....passion.... is what will get you to your studio every day. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.