Get Working Girl!

I’ve been tracking some of the ‘painting a day’ artists that have been increasing in numbers for some time now. I’m attracted to the idea of exclusively painting something from life, just recording what I see and forcing myself to have that kind of daily discipline. But then I worry I’ll get bored painting nothing but small format still lives. Plein Air painting is also appealing, but I’m incredibly wimpy and afraid of heading off into the woods, staying put in one spot and being snuck up on by a lurking psychopath or hungry cougar. Maybe if I pick up the latest in (pointless) technology, the tasor gun MP3 player, I’ll feel more secure.

I do know it’s time for some kind of change. I’m in a bit of a rut, I need a fresh perspective. Less thinking, more doing. So I’m giving a ‘painting a day’ a try (probably more like a painting every 2 days). I had a still life all set up, a simple mug, crumpled napkin and here’s how it turned out.
Okay, so I got bored after a few minutes. Painting inanimate objects just doesn’t thrill me, so I painted a bit of me. Last time I painted a portrait or anything of me was about 15 years ago. I’m proud to say that 40 year old sag at the end of my eye didn’t depress me, just made the exercise all the more interesting. I think that’s called ‘growing old gracefully’ at least on the inside, not necessarily on the outside.