"Happy" Painting in 2012

The Road Ahead

I am not one to make resolutions

January, however, is the time to take stock of the situation if there ever was one. Perhaps you want to  figure out what needs to change so that you are “happy” with your painting. I put “happy” in quotes because if you are a painter (or some other kind of artist), then you know that happy/happiness is not the correct word.

I do realize in my very last blog, I said I was a happy painter, but that was holiday talk.

Here in the harsh light of January, happy implies contentment. Is any painter ever content with his/her work? No, I don’t think so.

Be that as it may, if you are looking for some sort of renewal, January is the time.

Now is the time to change…your style, your medium, your brand of supplies…whatever you think needs changing, if anything.

If nothing else, it gives you an excuse to try something new if you are in any way un-”happy” with the results of your work. Of course, if you want to wallow in self-doubt, that’s your business.

I am not on a “journey” (there are those quotation marks again).

I am not on a mission.

I am not seeking inner truth.

I am seeking satisfaction, as opposed to happiness, I suppose. I want to be satisfied that I am painting for me, my very own way. I want to stand back from my work and in my mind, if not out loud, say, “Yes, that’s it.”

But as I said, I am not one to make resolutions.

“Happy” Painting in 2012.