In the Stretch

In the Stretch
Oil on panel, 12x6

After six days in a magical fairy land, I am returning to my comfort zone.  Sometimes images just float around the back of my mind, begging for me to paint them.  It feels so good to be painting on my wood panels again, I missed the drag of the surface, the way the paint pulls across the slight texture.  Once again, I begin to run short of panels.  I need to get some more cut, and get them primed before I run out of surfaces to paint on!  Getting back to what I am so comfortable with is just like wrapping up in a heated blanket, with a hot cup of tea!  Well, time to get back on schedule and pick up my youngest son from robotics.  Back to the real world!  Painting number 393 in 393 days and day 28 in the 30 day painting challenge :)

At the Barre

At the Barre
Oil on canvas, 8x6

With this painting, I am remembering the countless hours spent shuttling my oldest daughter back and forth to dance.  For many years, we attended every recital and competition - from Disneyland to the MGM Grand.  I never tired of watching Tiffany dance, the music, the excitement of shows and competitions, and the long hours of practice were all part of the game.  I have really been wanting to study the figure in paint lately, and here I work for looser, impressionistic strokes.  I like the drama of lost edges and irregular lines, as if viewed in a dream.  This painting makes 385 in 385 days, and Day 20 in the 30 day painting challenge.