When I Don't Know What to Paint, I Paint Giant Pink Flowers

Remember this ugly painting?

Well, not long after I hung it up in my bathroom, I actually had to take it down.

It was making me cranky, and it definitely wasn't inspiring me in any way!

It sat face down in my hallway for at least a week before I was ready to turn it over, and make better use of the canvas. Because I am a re-user.

This is what I paint when I don't know what to paint. Big, messy, pink flowers. The image below is from an early phase of the painting.

I actually packed all of my stencils away when I was cleaning up my bedroom and in order to access them I would have to move many plants and a long shelf. So....I just stuck my fingers through the handle-hole of the box and pulled on the first stencil that I touched. It was small enough to fit through the hole when rolled up (thank goodness for flexible plastic), and that is how I chose the herringbone! Sometimes you have to just work with what you've got!

And now for the final product. A few months ago I bought some water soluble pencils from an art store in town (Colours), and I have really enjoyed using them. They are great for messy outlining, and adding details (lines, hashes, doodles, etc.) when you don't have a skinny paintbrush.

It lives in my bathroom, replacing the ugly, and best forgotten "Time" painting that it gratefully covered.

It may not be a full replacement, as you will have noticed I added no words, no One Little Word reminder to this image, but I think it does a better job of keeping my word and my focus for the year in the forefront of my mind.

It's existence in itself is a reminder that I can and should allow myself to play and learn and grow as an artist. That I am not in a rush, and I can take my time to figure this out.

I know I like to paint big messy flowers. And that's okay. Maybe that's my thing.

This painting and the experience was so inspiring for me, I started on the next one right after.

Big messy blue flowers this time.

xo