The Challenge of Finishing What One Starts

My studio is full of "starts" -  the beginnings of paintings left unfinished. What can bring me back to them?  

Leslie Saeta has invited artists to join her in a 30 day challenge for the month of September - a painting a day posted on one's blog.  Having just finished the Whole 30 recently I've learned that one really can make a change in one's habits in 30 days.  So, I am going to accept Leslie's challenge to do 30 paintings in 30 days, and to post them on my blog.  That means I also have to write on my blog for 30 days.   Hmmm.  I’m already three days late on this, but we are assured that if we fall behind we can just catch up. 

I have not spilled many beans about my creative process, but let’s just say that the painting I begin is not often the one that ends up being in the frame.   I do a lot of covering and uncovering before I find the painting.  Sometimes that means erasing as much of the original painting, either by trying to remove the paint from the paper or by covering the paper with new layers of paint. 

Since I’m gearing up for a show in October, I think that for me to take on a challenge such as this would be a crazy.  But I do have a lot of “unfinished” paintings, many of them 5” x 7” just waiting to be addressed. So, I’ve decided to accept the challenge of 30 paintings in 30 days by taking the many starts and near finishes I have in my studio and finishing them. One day at a time.   

I will on occasion post the starting point of the painting so you can get a sense of where I begin and where it all ends.   

More of my "starts" ...