Day 1

Often I have made plans to paint more. My current goal is to finish one painting each day except Sundays for 9 days. Yesterday I was really struggling with depression, just sat on the couch all evening. That is not what I want to do with my life. Today I went for a walk and that did me a world of good. After the walk I got out the paints. The shape of the winding path was on my mind as I painted, but this picture is from my imagination. I did not know what it would be until it was showing up on the paper. I just let it happen. When it felt done I showed it to Bill who said it was not done, no focal point. He was right. He is a good coach because he tells it like it is. I added the little house and I do like it better now.

Friends of Island Lake

I was starting to prepare for the Friends of Island Lake sale which will be on May 18. I like the basic idea of this composition, but the park shelter and water tower are too big. I would like to start again.

Snow Day!

I finally took the time to paint today. I did not know what I wanted to paint, so I just chose some colors and began. Very peaceful and restorative. I needed that.

Monoprint Fun

I'm not sure yet if any of these are "keepers". There might be the beginnings of a new "rocks and water" series or a new tree series.

At least I showed up at the easel today. I really needed to do that.

Cleaning the Paint Trays

I was cleaning paint trays at school and I just could not stand it anymore, I have to paint. This is a mono print from the top of a paint tray. It is tempera.

Sketches

Just drawing whatever is in front of me is very calming. I'm not thinking of deep meaning, just reproducing what I see, making decisions about what to leave in, what to leave out.

Early morning

I used to think that people who chose to get up early in the morning were crazy. Now I get it. This was the view out my living room window at 6:30am. Now it is 8:30 and all is gray.

I am home today because I am sick once again. Episode #5 since Thanksgiving, so I decided it was time to check in with the doctor to see if I should be concerned. She listened to my story, asked some questions, and said it sounds like I caught 5 different bugs, all viral. She asked what I do for a living. When I said that I teach elementary art, she nodded as if to say, "Well, that explains it". I wanted to say, "But I DO wash my hands all day long, and again before I eat. Say, could I have about 800 of these face masks?"

The up side of this time being sick is that it is just my throat, no fever, so I think I can get some stuff done today and draw or paint a bit more.