Last night I finished the final painting for the show. I've still working on a few pencil and colored pencil "studies", just doing some final touch ups and framing.
It feels good to have them done. At the same time, I'm also excited to start thinking about the next works. These last paintings didn't come easy. I started them some time ago...and they changed a lot since then. Originally I had them unstretched to make for easier transport up to the gallery, but that created a whole different set of issues so I stretched them. Now I'm hoping they'll fit in my Odyssey without any problem. Fingers crossed.
The last 5 paintings were a bit of a struggle, which hasn't been the case with any of my paintings for quite a while. Part of the problem is size...most are over 50" high, with the largest being 74". My wall is about 80", so working on the lower sections was a pain, requiring me to be on my knees or in a few cases lying on the fly. Not fun. I need a space with high ceilings and large walls if I'm going to keep working on paintings this big. So if anyone knows of a space they want to donate for me to work, let me know.
I'm never quite sure where a painting or series of paintings will lead me. This last batch birds and bugs started showing up. Will they continue in the next group? Don't know yet.
If you're reading this I hope you're able to get to the opening this Saturday. If not, try and get up and see the works in person. I promise they're worth your time. Here is a preview of a few of the works.
