Before Bloom True After Bloom True

Before Bloom True.  After Bloom True. 

Right?

It feels like I’ve been painting enough now that I am no longer seeking permission to paint.  What is serving me these days are lessons in fearlessness.

It’s taken me so long to finish this painting.  I started something similar like two years ago and ended up completely painting over it.  This has been sitting unfinished in my art room for about 6 months.  Finishing it now makes me feel like I’ve come a very very long way.

The inspiration Round one Final

Dirt path, raging river, whatever.  

I’m so glad I was finally able to get the juice to finish this one, the last in the Ghost Ranch series.  The paintings that came out of me after that experience have really transformed the way I see myself.

Now I feel ready and clear to dive back into the Bloom True process and see what comes out.

My paintings from Bloom True.  The process was so free and so amazing.  I love being able to just step up to the canvas and not have to have a plan.  Just feel it.  Just enjoy the colors and the movement of the brush and the process.

Flora is such a great teacher.  It all feels so natural.  Like, rather than try to cram everything into my brain, it really felt like the process unfolded organically.  Along with, of course, the standard roller coaster of emotions:  I love my painting!  I hate my painting!  Just keep going.  Keep going until you fall in love with it.  Then let it go again.  Then bring it back around.

Love.

State of the studio upon returning from Bloom True.  What a mess.  I think it’s time to clear out all the “in progress” stuff and start fresh.  Workshop pictures to follow soon!  High-res

State of the studio upon returning from Bloom True.  What a mess.  I think it’s time to clear out all the “in progress” stuff and start fresh.  Workshop pictures to follow soon! 

The people who run my art class asked the students to submit a painting for their Winter show.  The rules say that the painting has to have been done in the classroom, so this is the one I’m submitting.  It’s the only one I’ve finished in my Monday night class in a long long time. Nighttime on the canal, 24x24, oil on canvas High-res

The people who run my art class asked the students to submit a painting for their Winter show.  The rules say that the painting has to have been done in the classroom, so this is the one I’m submitting.  It’s the only one I’ve finished in my Monday night class in a long long time.

Nighttime on the canal, 24x24, oil on canvas