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I recently posted a few sold paintings on my Facebook group page.  One of my friends asked me why I didn't paint more paintings just like those that have sold.  Humm....good question...I see other artists doing it often enough.  In fact I recently was at an art fair where another artist probably sold a lot more work than I did.  Bold bright colors and sure brush strokes made her work really stand out.  In fact when I first saw her hang a large 30 x 40 landscape, I thought to myself, "Now that is a painting that I would love to own".  (I love collecting works by other artists who I respect.)  Then she continued to hang more work on the walls of her booth...I immediately realized that she was using the same process over and over with her subjects.  Even when her subjects were slightly different, there was no variation that marks traditional art work.  Beautiful lush landscapes soon filled the walls of her booth, but the luster was gone for me.  I knew people would most likely flock to her booth and I knew that I could easily choose to begin putting out the same type of generic work if I wanted to.  But as always my mind went back to painted pots. 

You see when I was a young mother, I stepped away from oil painting for a few years and began doing "crafts"  I used acrylic paint and painted tons of different lovely pots.  Soon I was also painting on plaques, candles, birdhouses....you name it, I painted on it!  I made pretty good money doing that and had a ton of people who loved my painted crafts.  I took pride in what I did and I developed my own unique technique.  I got very good at manipulating the paint and my brushes.  I could paint a rose like nobody's business in a few simple steps!  My work sold well and I had more than enough orders to keep me busy.  But my brother asked me several times, when I was going to get back to my art work.  I defended my actions.  This was something I could do and clean up immediately when I was finished painting.  This was helping with the family income.  People were receiving a lot of joy from my little creations... There was nothing wrong with what I was doing.  Then why did I totally change gears and switch direction in my life?  The answer is simple.  I knew I needed more in my life than just painting pots.  I knew there were higher levels I could reach if I just took the time and used the discipline to get there.

Skip ahead 16 or 17 years.  I now have studied for 5 years at the college level, taken workshops from world famous artists, am teaching painting myself and have immersed myself in the artistic process and lifestyle in every way I can think of.  To me, it is fine to do a piece over for a special commission once or twice, but I definitely could not go back to just painting with the sole goal being the sale in mind.  When I paint I am consumed with the creative process.   That process involves discovery, invention, problem solving, pushing the envelope and myself to new heights.  Without the process, I might as well be just painting pots again!

 Woodland Dreams, oil, 36 x 24, (sold).