When Everything Falls Away
Prints available here

My summer reset continues. I’m getting lots of play, and downtime in, but it turns out, I can’t make art only for myself, even when that’s what I set out to do. Probably not all that surprising to some. lol I’ve been doing this too long, it’s in my blood. 

Love to Watch You Sleep
Prints available here

I started making an art journal type of series on watercolor paper before I went on break called the Raw Storytelling Series. As with most new series, I was excited to get started, and I’ve continued to work on it in my off time. I can’t seem to help myself. These pieces are making me happy being in my studio again. I’m experimenting, playing, and painting up a storm. My main goal for taking time off is to bring fun back into my life again, and that I have done. 

Ain’t No Cure
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I don’t ever want a series to become a “I need to add another painting to the series just for the sake of adding another painting to the series” type of thing, which is what many of my other series have become for me over time. I never want painting to become an obligation, a daily task that I dreaded getting out of bed to do. It takes all the fun out of it, and I think why bother? When it gets to that point, I know it’s time to mix things up. 

Dragon to Slay
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That’s why I’ve had to stop painting florals, birds, and landscapes for a while. My heart isn’t in it right now, and it became soulless work. I was just going through the motions, and I was bored out of my mind. I began to miss my portrait paintings with all the emotionally wrought characters. 

Empty Self
Mixed media acrylic
NFS
Prints are available here

As I’ve said before, I like painting emotion, and no, most of the time it’s not my own emotion. I’m pretty sure it’s obvious when the piece is personal, right? Maybe not. The piece above? It’s personal. It was the start of this new series before I knew I was starting a new series. It’s how I felt about painting at the time – empty. I was also thinking if only I could empty myself on the page, I would feel better. Thus, Empty Self was created. It actually reads “Empty No Self”, if you look closely, but I thought Empty Self was a better title. If you want to see me create it, I made a video here. 

It’s the only painting in the series that’s been personal so far. People seem to get confused, and they think I am my portraits. That’s okay. I don’t mind what people think..even if they’re dead wrong. 😀 I used to try to correct everyone, but now I just let people assume I’m an emotional wreck. Why not? lol Makes life more interesting this way. 

Deep
Prints are available here 

ha..it’s so funny how this art thing works, isn’t it? I mean, it wasn’t long ago (3 summers ago) that I quit portrait painting to paint florals, birds, and landscapes. At the time I was so burnt out, and tired of portraits, I thought I’d never paint another one. 😀

The Circus is Coming to Town
Prints are available here

Notice I’m not saying I will never paint another floral, bird or landscape? It’s because I learned my lesson about saying the word never. 

Isolated Storm
Print are available here

One of my good artist friend’s told me that the same thing happened to her, and she switched from portraits to abstracts for a while. She told me the feeling wouldn’t last forever. I pretty much told her she was nuts because I had no intention of ever painting a portrait again. I was done. Sick of it!

Look at me now. ha! Good ole crow pie never tasted so good. Thanks for the spot on advice, Wanda. xo

I have gone back and forth on the title of the series, and have changed it 4 times now. It started out being called Rraw Series because I thought it was a cute, edgy title, but eh, decided I wasn’t crazy about the spelling after a week or so. Then I changed it to Raw, but I thought, it’s more than just raw, but what is it? Then I dropped the raw altogether, and changed it to The Storytelling Series. Nope, still not right. I wasn’t happy with it. 

I think I’ve finally settled on “Raw Storytelling Series”. “Raw” because that’s how it feels to paint these, and that’s the feeling the finished pieces give me. Most I’m leaving in a raw or rough, unfinished state on purpose, and “storytelling” because I feel each one is trying to tell me something. I’m listening hard to hear what they have to say. 

This is only the beginning. I have many more in this series to show you soon. As I said before, there isn’t much to do around here when the heat index is 108F, like it is today. I just lock myself in my studio, and paaaaaint. I hope you’re able to stay cool on this fine July day..or warm, wherever you might be. I’ll see you next time.