Pink Rose in a Coffee Mug

I guess its time to start doing what I normally do in life, in lieu of recent happenings. I've told myself that it's time start painting again, blogging, exercising, dealing with planet earth responsibilities, etc etc... I honestly feel like i'm carrying around a bowling ball in my heart area.  Doing what I normally do does seem to create a simulation that a certain normal-ness prevails, even if it doesn't.

I started teaching an 8 week class at my studio last Saturday. I always start off with a demo to show my process - how I begin, the brushes I use, the paint/ paint consistency, what I block in first, etc etc.  I always choose a simple subject- usually apples or pears for the first demo. For the second demo (next Saturday) I will paint something more structurally complicated, like a rose or shoes or something. I decided to do a "practice" rose in a cup, just to get the paint flowing again, and get prepared.  I took photos of each step along the way, that I will hand out to the students, so they can have something they can review that shows the order and the progression. This was done on a heavy paper, which absorbs the acrylic paint so fast, I have to work even faster than I normally do. Thats OK - it forces me to really practice what I preach - "fast, loose and bold."

I thank everyone for their heartfelt responses to my last blog post. Truly, your reaching out with love helps me deal, more than I can say.