Solo En Casa

Gulf of Mexico: Pippi and I looking for shells beneath the water. It was a calm day and we found many.

I have had a relatively quiet week. Hence, I’ve  published one more relaxing photo from a week ago–when I was swimming in the gulf.

My family left for a road trip East on Saturday. I have been working on my books. I decided to paint the cover illustration for my eBook cover. I had taken a three year break from painting–to finish my M.A. and write as much as possible. Thus, I had forgotten how much preliminary work there is to do for  a painting. I have always been the type of artist that tends to rush the planning part and can hardly wait to dive in with paint on the canvas and get to work. I am aggressive with the paint in some ways–no fear of making mistakes–I face the canvas and go for it. But this style has cost me. I’ve given up on some canvases because of rushing preplanning sketches. This time I am sketching steam trains. Who knew a steam train had so many parts, so many shapes and sizes? I spent yesterday just sketching steam engines over and over. None of my sketches I want to use for the final cover plan so will start from scratch again. Such is painting: more blood, sweat and tears than actual production of a final painting.

 I think many people view creating art as relaxing, zen like. Perhaps for some people it is–if one is truly a “hobby” artist–creating for oneself with no expectations. But as an artist who works for end product–to sell–art is not the most relaxing of careers. It is work like anything else. What keeps artists at it is the drive to keep creating, expressing ideas in a medium they feel comfortable with and understand.
I like that my artistic life has been a path of writing and painting–weaving in and out of each medium as it works for me. Once my novels are published, I am eager to go back to my first picture book and paint all of the illustrations. So, eventually, I will be weaving into more painting again.

 Thus far my solo week has been filled with managing dog fiascos (yes, Pablo is unbelievable i.e. eating hole through wall), a little Zumba and a lot of hiking (some carrying over-heated dogs up mountains too). I am attending a Theravada meditation tonight at the Yoga House. I probably should eat before I arrive. Gotta go prepare a fiesta para una.