"Wherever you are, that's where you start"

Fruit Bowl Unlimited
Feb 2011

Our amazing watercolor teacher Jennifer Carrasco would remind us in class.  There are no advantages for an early start, nor shame for a late start.  Just start exactly where you are, Jennifer would encourage.  

I think that would pretty much apply to anything:  Eat healthy. Learn a new language.  Save for retirement.  Learn to paint.  Even exercise, heaven forbids. 

Hidden Mickey Black & White
Jan 2011

My older brother Tim is an excellent cartoonist.  When I was little, he used to leave me riddles with cartoons on them. I wish I had kept some of those. Tim is a great cartoonist.  

Wherever you are, that's where you start. 



Broomhilda
Jan 2011

It would take me seemingly hours before I could finally lay the brush on my 300# Arches Aquarelle paper.  I test the color on the little strips of scratch paper.  I wait.  And I wait.  Some days are easier to paint than others, but I don't know why.  
I hog over the whole dining table.  The whole dining room, in fact, and make it my "studio".  On sunny days I play Farmer; on gloomy days I play Artist.  The point,  though, is that I am not a great artist.  I am not even a good artist.  I don't even consider myself an artist.  However, I like my work.  I even love some of them, because I created every single one of them.  Artwork does not require perfection - Perfection is a left brain mumble jumble.  I'm enough.  



Abby
Jan 2011 

Two years later, I can tell my hands are working more in harmony with my brain.  I work faster and become more confident with my hands.  No short cut.  I squint to find the different values.  I try to remember which color is opaque and which is granular, or which makes a great glaze.   I work hard at improving my painting.  I love working hard.  Every worthwhile cause is worth the efforts, I remind myself.  I don't want my skills to come easy. 

I am fortunate that my friends are lovely people, and they enjoy what I paint. I eat up every accolade as an encouragement to keep painting.       

Wherever you are, that's where you start.  But start, you must.

Coi Koi
Nov 2010

Percy the Purrrrfect Cat
Feb 2011

Still Life Take Two
Feb 2011