"Blooming Landscape"

($125.00......6" x 6"....Water Soluble Oils on Gessobord...presented in a custom frame)

"The blooming landscape is fully alive!" I might be projecting ahead a bit, but I was in the mood to paint a cactus bloom today in spite of the fact that it is very cold outside for Central Texas.

In this piece, I was looking down at the cactus when photographing. It was photographed last year since our cactus are not quite there yet. And when they do start blooming, the plein aire painters will need to get out there right away since the deer will eat those blooms. So get prepared with easel or camera or both!

Today I want to talk about what to do when you feel blocked. There are many reasons for it and one of the best antedotes to "blockage" is having a close network of friends who understand the problem. Blockage most often happens because the artist is isolated and doesn't have enough skill, experience, or confidence to carry on. However, if you have just one friend who is working with the same medium, a simple phone call might be all it takes. 

If you wonder why I have chosen to work in several mediums, "blockage" is the main reason. So if my well of enthusiasm seems to be on the wane, I simply change mediums or try something completely new. The advantage of this is that you will then notice how the techniques or design knowledge in one medium will carry over to the others. It's quite fascinating and there is enough information and workshops to keep you busy for the rest of your life.

Another thing I do is look at a lot of other artist's work who may be working in a similar style to myself. For instance, I regularly look at (3) artists who paint exclusively with a palette knife. It always stirs up something in me that makes me want to go paint. 

So if you're feeling apathetic or "blocked" about your art process, simply talk to another art friend...learn a new technique...work in a different medium...look at other artist's work...and don't forget to pray. I cannot tell you how many times I have specifically prayed that I would see what I needed to see. Try it for yourself and see what happens. There simply is no need to stay "blocked" in your process. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.