(9x12)
My friend Shelby does beautiful paintings of horses. Having only been on a horse once in my life, I never gave them much thought, but her paintings were so expressive, they made me look. This is my first attempt, from a photo at Paint My Photo. I hope to have some opportunity to photograph horses in NM.
I had to paint something to post this morning just to say thank you for all the comments on yesterday's post: when I woke up this morning my inbox had so many comments to moderate in it--I was, and am, really touched and grateful. You inspire me.
Giving more thought to my "reasons" for not painting, I think that the real root of it--in spite of tiredness, time constraints, and the very real necessity, which Melinda noted, of having time out to let ideas percolate--is attachment to outcome: my original sin. Sometimes I feel I've overcome it, but then it creeps back: I guess that's just one of struggles we face.
I do think just keeping the paint wet is a good strategy for keeping the focus on the doing, not the outcome. Maybe if I paint a simple object every day--an apple or a flower--not an arrangement, not a scene, then just toss it aside I can re-cultivate nonattachment. ...
