I’ve spent some time the last several days thinking about a conversation I had with a colleague last Wednesday. We talked about art and time spent with other artists talking about their work, and it got me to thinking again about what constitutes good or bad work, the learning process, and whether we should be open and transparent about what we do. I found myself kind of excited at one point — I would say more frustrated and angry — and this colleague laughingly told me the best thing I could do was to go home and get it out of my system and paint something. 
I realized I do that more often than I care to admit … channel emotions out onto a canvas. This little oil sketch is the piece that happened as I worked my way through that process. By doing this I was able to examine and address the feelings and put them in perspective. Sometimes it’s good to do a little painting to cleanse your palate or align your emotions before you start the next one. I hope you enjoy it.
The next post I do will be to show the process, or at least 4 or 5 captures, of the new painting I started on Saturday. I had conversation with another artist friend of mine this morning and it was most helpful to continue the introspective process I had begun, encouraging me and adding energy to that one on the easel.
Stay tuned.
Kelly E. James 