As a Painter, Never Say Never

Ocean Blvd.
Oil on Canvas Panel
7 x 9 in/18 x 23 cm
Copyright 2013

If you're wondering what today's post is about from the headline, I'll tell you.

It's about being open and flexible and receptive and...whatever. Not a bad way to live life, especially a painter's life.

I say that because several years ago, I had "sworn off" painting in oil, although I rarely swear.

Painting in oil is messy. It is also smelly, even using OMS. It's also time-consuming; all that time to clean up your brushes and palette, not to mention how long it takes for the paint to dry.

That's what I told myself when I packed up my oil paints in their little black plastic container and pushed them way back in one of my art drawers where I put things I'm not using. I forgot about them.

Then a painter friend of mine mentioned the name of a painter with whom I was not familiar and had never heard of.

That would be Qiang-Huang.

I googled his name and saw his beautiful work on his blog and website. He paints almost daily and posts his paintings, most of which are relatively small, up for bid. Much of his work is still lifes that have beautiful effects of lighting.I hope you have time to look at his work. There's no argument that oil renders beautiful, time-tested results.

Anyway, it inspired me to take out my oil paints again and paint today's image.

Never say never.