I’m not painting today …
I thought I’d be much more productive … all that time at home … no place to go … nobody to visit … my home studio with all my art supplies available … but, I’m not painting today. In fact, in the last 6+ weeks, I’ve only done serious painting twice. All the rest of the time, it’s been dribs and drabs: a touch up here, another layer there, gessoing over disastrous paintings from before (before Covid 19).
Given my success at avoiding “serious” painting, I’m amazed at my three new paintings. One of them is one of those dribs and drabs I mentioned. Dawn was mostly painted at the Art Students League but needed a lot of fine-tuning (done at home, of course).
The second was a minor disaster painted at the League and gessoed over at home. I was trying a new technique intended to use up some of the gessoed canvases accummulated at home and, well, it needed some work. So two layers of gesso and many layers of brushed on acrylic using this new technique, and voila: Almost Clear.
Finally, the only painting completely done at home so far (I live in hope) was an experiment using some new colors. I’m not completely happy with it and don’t yet have a final name for it, but here it is.
When I look at Moon tomorrow I know there will be more to do to it, but right now I just know it’s missing something. Tomorrow it will be in the dribs and drabs category.
And hopefully tomorrow I’ll drum up the energy (inspiration/whatever) to start a completely new painting.
Ruth Hurd | BLOG 
Ruth, these are great! I really like the ephemeral quality of Almost Clear! Gauzy and evocative. Glad you found a way to keep going in isolation. I also am searching for inspiration for the next painting. It’s snowing like mad here today so a good day to paint. Look forward to your next installment!
I keep forgetting how different you weather is. We’ve had only one day of snow this whole winter, and today it is slummy and 62F here in NYC. I actually have lots of inspiration but not a lot of energy. Here’s wishing you lots of both.