I have not painted lately. There is not a burning need to communicate any particular idea, but I do feel lost when I go a long time without creating. Knitting is relaxing and results in the creation of a thing so that is what I do when I have small amounts of down time. Drawing and painting require all of my brain to be focused. I make a plan and then use skills to follow the plan while at the same time being open to adjustments that will make it better. At some points in the process I get lost in the repetiton of dots or hash marks and I like that. People who have never experienced that probably have no idea what I mean, but that's ok.
I'm starting each day with a short sketch time. For many days it was hard to get started because I could not decide what to sketch. Many of my students often have the same problem. I told myself the same thing I tell them, "There are many correct answers, but a blank paper is not one of them". I looked around and decided to draw my feet.
The next day, I drew my feet again.
And again. So it would appear I am interested in feet as a theme. Not sure where this is going, and I think I will continue to draw feet.
The words of the Dr. Suess book keep going through my head, "You have a brain in your head and feet in your shoes and you can go wherever you choose." Currently, however, my shoes are empty of feet.
I have had time to put my feet up and relax these last couple weeks, and it has been wonderful. 