Finish Mode…

As artists some of us tend to have two distinct gears for painting.  We are in start mode or finish mode.  The beginning of a new painting or series is exciting because we don’t know exactly where it will lead.  We go into the next painting wondering “will this be a masterpiece?”.  I can go on starting new work for weeks on end.  I get the paintings to about 95% complete and then step back and give the painting a chance to breathe.  It gives my eyes a break so when I look at the painting again it is with fresh eyes.  At some point…(when I can no longer walk through my studio in many cases!) I go into finish mode.  Each painting generally takes less than an hour to complete but each stroke counts.  You don’t want to overwork the art…just figure out exactly what it needs to make it spark.  When I finally get into finish mode its amazing how quickly I can complete each piece and know exactly what each has been in need of for the last month.  For me there is no point in trying to be in this zone if I’m not, since it will only lead to having to refinish or worse later down the road.  Its always worth the wait and a good lesson in patience.

Summer Love   24×48   Oil on Canvas