Season's Greetings 2017

Three Christmas Candles
Oil on Canvas Panel
5 x 7 in/12.7 x 17.8 cm
Copyright Byrne Smith 2017

As 2017 draws to a close, I'm happy to report that I am finally back again to my painting--pigments, palette, paper, and canvas! This after a devastating hurricane and subsequent record-breaking flood inundated our region at the end of August.

Heartbreaking and deadly, the storm upended lives and families. My home did not flood this year, but two members of my family lost their homes and many possessions. Fortunately, no one was hurt, at least not physically, but since then it has taken all my time and energy to help out. After 3 1/2 months life is just beginning to return to a new normal, but it will take years to completely recover.

I now have some time and, more importantly, the ability to concentrate on painting and creativity. And it came just in time for the holidays. It's difficult to explain just how important that is to a painter's well-being

The image above in today's blog is my first painting since the storm. I hope you enjoy it, and we painters can all look forward to our great and beautiful paintings to come in the new year.