Through the course of this summer, as I have contemplated bringing these two methods together, I have referred to the process as marrying the two styles. It’s an interesting term and somehow fitting because a good marriage is about balance. Balance does not necessarily mean bean-countingly equal or always 50/50, but a fluid blending where one or the other may predominate occasionally.
One’s strength is another’s weakness and visa versa. It is the blended balance of the two becoming one that actually provides the strength, and the combination of the two diverse components (or partners) create better versions of themselves in the unity.
This weekend I began my first painting in the studio that is an attempt to bring these two paint handling styles together. It feels clumsy and it does not yet have that extra spark but there are parts of what is happening that I like. I predict that once the new marriage finds its balance it has the potential to make me happy like my landscapes have in the past.
It is notably faster with an initial layout process only hours instead of days long. I attempted to stick to the one inch brush for the duration, and could not. I have now reached for the smaller brush to put in details, and am having more fun, although now I feel like I am cheating.
Kelly E. James 
Using a smaller brush is like going out for coffee with an old friend … If done with respect for your primary partnership, it isn’t cheating; it keeps your relationship vibrant because you’re not expecting too much or demanding that all your needs be met from that partnership. Have fun and do good things!
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