Today I felt like starting a new piece, although I had planned to wait longer to begin anew. Here is the first step—the backpainting. The final will look nothing like this, but I am going to catalog the steps.

I think a painting should have a name. (A gallery that once represented me argued to the contrary and wouldn't exhibit the names of my works, which didn't please me!) But the name of my artwork isn't usually evident during the creation; it emerges. In the case of the painting shown below, it took a few days to let it come. I didn't search for the name, it arrived without fanfare. It is "Petrichor"—the smell of earth as rain falls after a dry spell. "Petra" means rock in Greek and "ichor" is the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology. The name carries both strength and subtlety to me, so I am well pleased that the painting shared this lovely name with me.

Here is the latest on the abstract that I discussed below. In the interim between the background I painted first and what you see here, I really messed up one day. I ended up being not only disappointed, but angry about it. So I just scraped all the paint off and let it dry for a day before re-starting. Then I took a bit more time and moved from painting with the paper almost flat to having it on my easel so that I could step back constantly, as is my usual practice. I am much happier with this. I am thinking of adding a few dark straight lines, but will mull that while it dries for a few days.

Today I switched over from acrylics to oils for a while. It gives me a fresh start because working one is so very different from the other. Oils give me more time (dry more slowly), respond to  surfaces and applicators more smoothly, and require much more clean up effort. 

I am using paper (Arches) for the first time with oils. I am hoping that this makes it easier for purchases. The high cost of freight to ship paintings on board or canvas is a real deterrent for some.

Below are photos of the outset. I began the adventure yesterday by acquiring a backboard to hold the paper. This morning I cut it down to size and affixed position markers for the paper to keep it level and straight. By late morning, I was ready to go. I applied the backcoating and am now letting it dry a bit to get it ready for the actual painting.

Today I read something that really clicked with me. A soliton (new word for me) is theoretically a type of wave or "warp bubble" that allows its contents to move at a speed faster than light. I was delighted that there is a word for the concept because that is exactly what I think the orange-red orbs are in the painting below entitled Outside of Time.

Someone made a comment on Instagram noting that blues had been added to the revision of the painting. I responded that, yes, I was trying to achieve balance as I imagined it would be in outer space. Before there were warm colors, like the sun. Then I added cool, like the moon.

I am thinking of calling this "Outside of Time" because it was inspired by thinking doubt the Universe out there.....way out there. It began with my following the story about exploration of Mars and the dear rover, Percy (Perseverence). Anyway, here is a close up of the painting.

Here is the revision of the painting that I showed you yesterday. I think it is finally finished, but I am not going to varnish it for a while, just in case.

Sometimes I revisit a work that I think is complete and find that I am totally dissatisfied. I have no idea what changed in the interim between when I thought that the work was complete and then decided it wasn't. But I know for sure that once the muse has rendered such a verdict, I have no choice but to try again if the piece hasn't already been sold or varnished.

Such is the case with the painting shown below. I have started fiddling with it, but have no clear direction in mind. I am letting myself go, thinking that I may  never let this one see the light of day again. But actually I am pleased with the way things are going. I will let you see it soon and see what you think.

Good news! I am finally taking steps to creating an audiobook for Filming An Indie. I haven't decided whether to do the voice myself or to hire someone, but would like to try it out. I'll be attempting a first trial recording this coming week. 

Once in a while, things are easy, or at least relatively so. This painting fell together in just about two weeks. I feel like I am through with it, which is unusual for me. If I set aside anything and think of it for a while, I usually see tweaks I want to make. We shall see if that happens with this one. I won't varnish it for a bit, just in case. I have yet to decide on how best to view it.