Work in Progress

 

I've been trying to figure out how to get "there."  That place where I'm painting and feel like it's coming together.  Not, to be very specific, that place where I'm chasing something, it's not working and I'm blaming the sun, the paint, the brushes, you name it.

It hit me today!  I could solve the sun problem by using a beach umbrella (provided at the rental) in the empty umbrella stand on the patio.  I could work out some thumbnail sketches of different ideas I've had on paper with a sharpie and figure out what I wanted to get out of the work before I even started.   And I could start a large painting (9 x 24") on the tabletop in my patio "studio" with just with 3 values and see if I liked the result.  Eureka (or, more like it, DUH).

I am going to leave this study in its current state.  I'm excited about working on a larger painting of this in oil when I'm back in my studio at home and can really mix the colors and values I want. It may be the first  "excited to go home" thought I've had since I got here two weeks ago.   But I'm really glad I don't have to go home any time soon.