the spaces between

the spaces betweenoil and mixed media, 5×5 inches

I recently subscribed to The Artist’s Magazine because I am a sucker for all magazines and if they send me a promotional something in the mail, I will fall for it. I got the first issue this past week and was reading an article about artist, Patti Brady who creates really beautiful acrylic paintings filled with patterns and luscious colors. She said something in the interview that I wanted to remember.

Painting is a lifelong process, and instead of worrying about making the perfect painting, you need to paint a lot.

In these recent weeks I have been inputting all my paintings into that database program that I bought recently. And the most interesting thing that this has revealed to me is that it has put my work into perspective to me. It wasn’t until November of 2005 that I really allowed myself to start painting. I was painting before then of course, but it was my mixed media panels that got bound into journals that I would sell on amanobooks. But it was then in November 2005 that I pulled out my oils and brushes and started listening to that little voice in me that had been aching to paint. Just paint.

And then in 2006, I painted some more, but wasn’t as productive as I was still making journals full time. And then I got pregnant and productivity slowed a bit more and then strict bed rest put a halt to everything. 2007 rolled around and my son was born. It wasn’t until he was 3-months old that I was really able to get back into the studio for bits of time here and there. But May I really started to churn out those paintings.

Becuse my studio time is so limited and I have been working towards a deadline, I have had to let go of perfection. My main goal is to just show up and paint. I have been painting and painting and painting. I have learned so much this year that I know I wouldn’t have learned if I hadn’t been painting as much as I have.

The other thing too that stuck me even as I write this, is that I feel that becoming a mother has changed me in such a way that I wouldn’t have been able to paint what I have been painting. And painting this year has really been like therapy for me to process all the heartache and fears that occurred at the end of my pregnancy. This is probably another reason why I have been able to create so much. There is a lot inside of me that needed (and still needs) to be addressed.

Come October after preparing for the show is over, I’m going to take a breather. Paint in a more relaxed manner. But I hope and know that I will continue to learn and to grow as Patti Brady said. It is a lifelong process. How exciting is that concept?