Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Taking Pictures

oil on panel
6"x6"
sold

This young woman was taking photographs of the sweeping view of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway as seen from the Philadelphia Art Museum. I like to imagine her "looking" as a metaphor for the start of the new year, when we like to look at the year we leave behind, as well as to focus on the one coming up.

The past year I've had the great fortune of being able to paint full time. I've learned so much by being able to concentrate on my work so intently. Even though I've been painting for years (and years), I've never had so much time to devote to it. Sometimes the year's been stressful, sometimes lonely, but overall exciting and satisfying. One of the things I'm most happy about is having my portrait of my sister receive an award at the popular art blog Making a Mark, and joining Daily Paintworks as a "Featured Artist."

Now with the start of the New Year I'm back to working for the library. Unlike a year ago, it's a 20 hour week instead of full time. I'm lucky to have this job, and I'm determined to not let it slow me down.  My first resolution is to wake up at 6 a.m. most days and get right to work. With the paycheck comes more freedom in the kinds of things I chose to paint, and I'm very excited about that. 


4 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your award! I voted for your painting. It is amazing!!

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  2. By God, if you can get up at 6 a.m. I can get up at 7! Thanks for the inspiration. It's a good way to start the new year. I'll check back in a month to see if you're still on course. Really enjoy your work; it's inspirational too. Now off to the drawing board.

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  3. I am doing this year what you did last year -- taking some time off and paint full time for a year, and see where it leads to. I would love to eventually be able to support myself by painting full time, as you said before. But I may have to take up working part time again some time in the future from time to time, too, depending on the resources. It's nice to know someone else is out there walking the same road, feeling "sometimes stressful, sometimes lonely" too. I will visit back frequently to see your beautiful work, and eventually purchase some for myself...

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  4. These are lovely, economical paintings. Working/painting/raising kids is tough (I'm doing it, too) but it can be done.

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