Painting mud

       

     I paint best when I am all alone with no distractions. I need that quiet time to transition from left to right brain which is the secret to everything. Once I get into that mode I can paint forever. Now having said that I always need a timer set to remind me of anything else scheduled for the day or I’ll  paint right through any engagement. This just comes with losing track of time and being lost in the creative process which I work so hard to get to this point so it’s frustrating sometimes to have to stop. If I can’t get this quiet time I do struggle while painting and I don’t have much fun or success in the end and I usually end up painting what I call mud. We don’t always get what we want so it is best to work around what we have. I can become pretty oblivious to what’s going on around me just so long as no one tries to talk to me. I think all artist have obstacles to overcome and the will to paint has to be stronger. The hardest part sometimes can be my own thoughts that are a distraction and I have to quiet myself. I need to remind myself to be silent so I can see and it’s only then that I can paint and paint well.  So as a reminder I need to address and resolve issues before I start working so my mind is clear and not somewhere else. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards a book that helped me look at the world differently. I think anybody can learn to draw but to see now that’s a gift.