"Fleeting Moments"

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"Savor the fleeting moments." There is nothing quite so fleeting as the sky. It moves and changes continuously much like the spontaneous moments of our lives. They should be savored before they are gone forever.

This painting is an intermediate step into the world of abstraction and also an experimentation in the ideal amount of paint for expressive writing. I wiped off the paint at the bottom several times before I was able to have a suitable surface for free movement of my pen. (In this case, I used a very sharp mechanical pencil...sharpened on a sandpaper block. ) 

The reference photo for this piece was taken a few days ago after the rain. It was early morning and the sun was beginning to rise behind the trees. I have had very little experience in painting sky scenes, but that is exactly why it's a practice piece. I will keep this piece in my repertoire so that I can go back and compare with future pieces. It is very instructive to look at all your work as if looking at a collection because your next piece can only begin where the last one left off.

There is nothing wrong with analyzing other artist's work so as to improve, but the fact remains that none of us can do what someone else does. Your work is your work and will be your most comprehensive guide to notice where you are in your art journey. Trying to do exactly what someone else has done....especially without putting in the practice time...will never work and it will be a hugh discouragement in your own process. 

All of this reminds me of another favorite quote..."Doing is the one condition of knowing." The best thing any of us can to do to promote our growth is to go to the studio everyday, even if you don't have a clue what to do next. If you simply begin where your last piece left off, you will soon be inspired and will have completed one more step in this important process called creativity. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.