Gratutude after an abysmal morning.

Hello. Yes I have gratitude after feeling a bit of self-pity earlier today. There are many chores in life in addition to what one would like to be doing. These things have to be done and it is better to do them then get to what you love. This morning I managed to do some domestic things and spend an hour in the studio before opening my store. It's all good. I remember thinking after the studio-time that an hour of quality concentrated work can be enough. I sanded two of my work stations and did a little painting on a new piece and it was good. I can spend a few hours and not accomplish that - well that seldom happens but it could if I am in my head and therefore in my way.

Tomorrow I am off to Quogue to install a large 7'x7' abstract painting. It is my second sale of a large abstract and I am very excited about seeing it stretched and installed. I think I've posted about this in the past but I will say again that the house where it is going is beautiful and understated so I feel very lucky to have such a big presence in this home. 

I'm working on groups of smallish paintings averaging 20"x19" approx. On each of my 96"x96" panels there are 16 paintings so four rows of four. The rows tend to naturally be a group not always but lately it happens. The flow of working on four at once and seeing how they can relate is interesting to me. The going has not always been easy they are abstract which is all I want to do but questions come up, like what the hell I am saying?? I try to not engage the questions but there is a part of me that feels they need to be justified. And how do you justify an abstract painting? I have to go with my gut and believe that they are worthwhile. The other day after being away from the studio for 24 hours, upon returning to the work I had done which was like no work I'd done - ever. Feeling anxious but liking aspects of the four. I moved on and then had an idea about additions to the four not necessarily changes but additions and there is a distinction.

Let me say that the "additions" and I will not use that word again turned out to be great changes. Oops. Seriously though I am in love with the new four and it gave me a direction which is more important. As a great painter once said "Paintings come from painting"  For me the drawing process at this point in my life is nonexistent, right to the painting on the canvas so I cut out that opportunity to work out problems which can be good and bad. Boy was that a segue. Meanwhile I want to do some drawings because that is missing. It is a great tool to do work when out of the studio.

Back to what I was saying, that has been my process for many years but not always something I stick to. I am more able to remember lately and put it in practice. That is trying not to paint over something that I have done when working on a painting, an addition. If it happens that I paint over something then it happens and in the heat of the moment when the paint is flying I try not to edit. But for the most part I try to keep the freshness of the color by not covering with something else. And again I say this is not a rule just an idea, approach. Additions not changes. So bossy.

It's 5:30 and I close at six so...