I was recently asked what lessons I have learned in my career as an artist. This is a really difficult idea to articulate, but I think that my process feels less fragile and precious than when I began. I’m more willing to let parts go if it means making the whole piece better. Sometimes I have to make sacrifices to aid the direction of the piece. I’ve become willing to walk away from what I once thought were good ideas if they aren’t working. I’ve learned I have plenty of other ideas that will work. Trying to force a process is a huge waste of time. Sometimes the best option is to quit.
The above picture is a painting from a Wolf Creek study that I stopped working on over a year ago. I really liked the way the beginning stages were coming together with this painting and its sister, but I found myself stuck in the middle. Instead of pushing through to an end point, I decided to set them aside. A couple of weeks ago I decided to pick them up again. After looking at them from a fresh perspective, I found the finish easily. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the completed products pictured below. They were a long time coming, but I feel satisfied with the result.
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