Wednesday, August 24

I'm Painting Again

Out to Sea at Low Tide
Acrylic on Canvas Panel
10 x 8 in/25 x 20 cm
Copyright Byrne Smith 2016
I'm back painting again.

An historic flood inundated our area four months ago, and it's taken all my time, energy, and patience to put where I live and paint back together again. If you've never lived through a flood or had family members or friends who have, it's probably difficult to understand the toll it takes in all ways imaginable.

But, I salvaged almost all my paintings as well as art and painting supplies, and now have the time and presence of mind to think about painting again.

I started the above painting in April and completed the initial drawing and had even blocked in the sky and clouds. Then came the rains. It sat untouched until this week. The hardest part was actually beginning the act of painting. I looked at the unfinished canvas for more than a week before I was able to squeeze out some paint and pick up a brush.

I feel that I will be taking a new direction in my painting. I believe that's what artists are supposed to do when life intervenes.