Nov 4, 2022, Fri — Day three proved fruitful with the aspen grove painting. Indeed aspen grove is grooving! Meaning we are almost to groovy. The whole canvas is covered in wet paint as of 5PM tonight when I left. Tomorrow, I’ll look it over. I might have to darken or lighten a few trunks to make it balanced. Or not. I’ll study it fresh in the AM. The paint is so thick and it’s so cold in there, I don’t have to worry about it even STARTING to dry. 

And there it was, that thing that happens with most paintings. Meaning, yesterday I felt like it was probably a bomb (as opposed to “the” bomb). Can you imagine trying to learn English? Native speakers have trouble keeping up. But today, I moved past that awkward ugly-duckling stage and it’s looking all right. It’s not going to be one of my strongest paintings, but it’s acceptable. It’s satisfying. That’s the most I ask of a painting like this where there’s not much leeway compositionally or temporally. 

Well, now that I said that. My best way to improve all my work, and especially the smaller paintings, is to simply. And I did not do that! It is my biggest challenge. I actually love detail. I get obsessed with the details. Could I, tomorrow, simplify? Possibly. Eliminate a few branches strategically. But I sincerely doubt I will. Again, I don’t really have time to shift it up compositionally. I want to balance it and that’s it. I’ve got two other things to square away in there by the end of day tomorrow as well. 

Then it’s off to Klamath Falls Sunday morning, swinging over to deliver Red Tulip to its new owner in Ashland on the way home. 

Consequently it’s a wrap. Because aspen grove is grooving. Which makes for a happier blogger. Extra happy would be a gallery owner in Aspen, CO, calling to represent me. Or someone seeing Aspen Sky on the billboard and deciding it is a personal requirement to own that original. Here’s a few links to make the little man smile, too: Originals, Prints, Monthly newsletter.