seeing, freeing, being

Three new paintings! All acrylics: Adding Machine (11"x14", seen in Cerrillos NM), Abiquiu (16"x22") and Rufus Smith Building (36"x36"), the commission that I was working on concurrently with others. When the light was good I dragged my canvas and supplies outside to work, which I like; the grass is soft to kneel or stand on (I found an easel to use), I can hear the birds and sounds of nearby activities (guitar, gardening). I'm happy with this painting; I had guidelines and some freedom to work with. It's based on photos emailed to me, which I made good use of in the basic accuracy, I think, while still employing my slightly skewed sense of perspective. I appreciated having others around to check out the work as it progressed and as I was finishing.

After staring at a piece for a long time I can't always see it clearly anymore, and I received some thoughtful and constructive comments. I've been absorbing a lot from the people around me. This residency has been more socially interactive than the last, where, while I made a couple of great friends who gave me a lot to think about, I was mostly on my own as I went about my days. Both dynamics have been really good for me.

I get to learn more about my own process, where I'm at and what I want to work on, and about living communally in a sociable, creatively supportive place. I also love traipsing barefoot across the grass between the house, the barn and the birdhouse. Making a big salad for everyone with stuff picked from the garden. Piling my friends into the truck bed and driving into town for ice cream, or swimming in the lake, or jumping across hay bales.

Now I plan to get back to some other pieces I'd been messing with, and start more work, I'm a little over halfway through the month and want to fully live every moment of this time I've been granted (granted it to myself as well, and immeasurably glad I did).