Finally in the new year I finished my 40"x 40", three months in the making and 182 tea bags sewn and plastered with Venetian plaster, also graphite, oil paint and coffee. Finished with cold wax. Unfortunately I had a hard time photographing it as I had to take it outside and the snow on the ground caused a glare, the color between the teabags is much more coffee colored than this light grey it appears to be in the close ups.
Oh well as always my paintings are so much better and yummier in person. This painting is titled Grid # 6, (Colin's Habit) after my friend that provided me with all the teabags! I always love to hear your thoughts also as you know if you double click on the images they get larger. XOXO

Gratitude and Thoughts on being an Artist

With a new year come thoughts about life and where it is leading you/me. I have been on a path of gratitude for a long while, but I realized that I belly ache a lot about the tribulations of being an artist, maybe not a lot, but enough that I sometimes bore myself. Yes, it is sometimes hard and when there are no sales and the bank account is tiny it is easy to get frustrated. BUT the bottom line is I am so grateful for my life and the fact that I am an artist that I have to pinch myself daily to make sure I am not dreaming.
Making art is not about sales, it is not about galleries, or even people appreciating what I do, making art is about the awesome joy I feel everyday that I get to make art, that I am passionate about making art and also that I am passionate about art in general, other people's art, painting, books, movies, all the arts move me, sometimes to tears. I am one of the luckiest people in the world and I know that. Who cares if I can't travel and have no money, who cares if I can't afford a smart phone?! I am living a life of freedom and joy, a life most people would kill for if they even knew it existed. I just wanted to express my gratitude and wonder and love for the awesome life I get to live. I know many of you who make art have these same feelings and not just artists, anyone who has a passion for what they do, it does not matter what form it takes.
We are so lucky! So this year I will not belly ache, I will send kisses to the Gods daily that they gave me this passion. This life. Happy New Year!