World blog hop

I want to thank Rhonda for asking me to join in the world blog. Rhonda and I have some things in common in our art, a desire to learn and birds!

Rhonda and I had a chance to meet and spend some time together, painting and having fun, at a Carol Carter workshop, during which Rhonda, in addition to everything else she had to do, took care of me too, picking me up the airport, getting me to my hotel ... I even got meet her Sweetie!

So, here are my answers to the blog hop questions.

1. What am I working on?
I'm working on working. I started my blog because I figured it'd keep me painting, and I hoped that, if I kept at it, I'd grow. 

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

This is not something I give much thought to. Like Rhonda, I paint for myself. And am maybe just beginning to realize what a wonderful luxury that is. I'm not particularly interested in being "different"--or in not being different--I just enjoy the actual painting: putting the paint on the paper and seeing what it does. Of course, I'm happy to get something I like, but I've found that feeling doesn't last long, so I try (with varying success) to concentrate on the doing, which is always good.

3. Why do I create what I do?

That's a tough one. Subjects catch my eye or interest me, or I will be inspired to try a technique or subject by another artist's work. I get too caught up, a lot of the time, in representation, but I try to remind myself, as I read in a Hazel Soan book, that no matter the subject, the painting is about the paint. I'm in awe of artists who make a serious study of the paint itself, and find I am not methodical enough to undertake such a study ... Each time I paint it's like learning all over again. I never seem to know what I'll get!

 

4. How does my creative process work?

My creative process is not a good worker! It's often tardy and somewhat lazy and may be a little schizophrenic. Seriously, I don't think I have a process. Sometimes I draw first, other times not; sometimes I paint alla prima, sometimes I glaze; sometimes I paint on location, sometimes at my desk. Maybe it depends on the subject, or on how much time I have, or on my mood? I don't think I'm very process-oriented. I'm a bit more willy-nilly. It's just something I want to do.

 

Now I'm supposed to bring in two more bloggers ...

But I'm sorry, I have to postpone that bit for a bit. My computer's in the shop and I'm composing this on my iPad mini! (I had put most of this post together before the computer went out.) I hope you understand I am not up to undertaking all that navigating on my iPad! But, in the meantime, I'd like to mention the blogs of artists I've been following longest, from when I first began blogging, like the Red Shoes, A Sketch in Time, Mineke Reinders, and Barbara Paints (all in my blog roll). Through their blogs (and others, a couple of whom are no longer posting and who I miss), my experience of the blogosphere expanded and I found--and continue to find--the many other artists and bloggers who inspire and encourage me and who provide such a wonderful atmosphere in which to blog.