Monday 25 January 2016

The Joy Of Stopping Early!

Owl coming to life on my easel

I love Mondays. I always have. I see them as a gorgeous white sheet of fresh watercolour paper waiting to be painted. And I can leave the past behind and move forward making each new day as exciting as I choose it to be. Today I really did have to knuckle down and reply to outstanding email messages regarding future workshop invitations and art events. Plus I have a fabulous exhibition to look forward to where I will need a new collection of watercolours on show and as my last was so successful I want to make each new painting in this next solo really magical.

I have had a lot of requests for specific subjects via galleries. And I don't have many wildlife paintings available at the moment due to sales which saw my recent work disappear. So here I am starting 2016 enjoying painting quietly in my studio and working on favourite subjects.

To close my studio days I always like to leave a half finished " something" on my easel which makes me eager to race to my studio the next day to complete it. It is so hard stopping at times but this is great practise for my artists soul because this way of working has taught me how to stop long before a painting is finished and it also prevents me from overworking a composition. By the next day I often see how little needs to be added. This owl study certainly needs hints of a beak detail because without it I can definitely say the painting isn't finished. But that may be all this needs.

I will see in the morning!


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2 comments:

Leona said...

looking forward to seeing him with his new beak and not much more lol

Unknown said...

Jean, I have also felt that excitement of coming down the stairs and peeking into my studio (ex dinning room) and seeing that wonderful unfinished piece waiting for me. It really does make me excited about getting my cup of coffee and going to work!