30 Paintings In 30 Days - Day #18 - The Road

"If you don't know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere."
      - Henry Kissinger

I have to admit that this past week I have felt like I am on that road to nowhere artistically.

Yesterday and today I ground ink to brush paint and could not get inspired. I attempted to put the brush to paper and found myself making random strokes that ending up forming.... nothing. I went through my books looking for exercises and could not bring myself to complete one.

Tonight I thought that maybe going back to a pen/ink painting would light a spark. Ehhhhh.... Tonights simple painting, one that would usually take me all of 20 minutes, took hours. I found myself staring at the paper, brush in hand, for long stretches of time, without adding a single stroke.

I've finally realized tonight that the problem is I have not been painting for me. I've been painting for the challenge, painting for what I think I am SUPPOSED to be painting and what I think the few visitors to my little blog would want to see.

Painting for every reason except to simply make myself happy.

I'm going to attempt to fix that. I'm going to paint what I want. If it means I paint a crappy tree 5 days in a row, so be it. Shoot, I LIKE painting crappy little trees! :)

I feel better already.

The Road To......