Next On the Watercolor Board!

I have several things ready to work on. I have been delayed with sickness twice this winter and then a workshop just a week ago in Springfield, Illinois that I had to prepare for. Usually a workshop takes a few weeks out of the schedule. For those of you interested there is still Ouray, Colorado and Dillman's in Wisconsin. Visit my website to see the contact emails there.
I have completed a drawing of peonies...and plan to get busy with that shortly. I also have narrowed down the pictures of what I am working on for a commission. The house is all furniture, textiles and dishes from the early 1800's from Norway and Sweden and they want me to document a few things. Unfortunately the lighting is only for an hour in the early morning as the sun comes up because they protect all the textiles from the sun. I think if I could get lighting, I could paint in this house for the rest of my life!
I am beginning to learn that as an artist we also have to be wise enough to know when something doesn't bring us joy. There are always opportunities out there for us but many are not good for us. The wisdom comes in knowing what is right for you and being able to say no to those things. I am finding that I have been doing so much that the simple of joy of painting has been lost. My goal this summer is to find that back again. I believe I became burnt out doing the book too so needed to rest and figure out my mext move. My next move might be to just stay home and paint!!!Traveling and recognition is not always as wonderful as we imagine it to be. We have this romantic idea that it will spur us on to bigger and greater things when in fact it often steers us away from the very things that would make us happy. For me, a day spent driving in the car and finding subject matter to paint is far more wonderful that doing the computer and business end....and there is far too much of that now. As a wife and mother, there is not enough time. A man usually has a great wife who steps in to help with this and that allows them more painting time. For me, that just is not going to happen so I have to set some boundries. Lesson learned. I hope you can learn from me and not have to go through the struggle. Enjoy where you are and live each day to the fullest. It is not always greener on the other side of the fence! Ha!
As soon as I get some ground colors into things I will begin to post. Otherwise it is so hard to see. I did go into photoshop and enhance the black and white so you can see the beginning drawing for the peonies. Remember, this is not how dark the drawing is. It is actually quite light.