SOLD-Country Crossroads

$OLD

today i'm working on commissioned paintings that will be gifts for the holidays and getting things together to head to key west in a few weeks.

i love to read about how other painters days break down so i thought some of you guys might like to know what mine might look like.

my days usually break down into two types of days. one where its sunny and one where its cloudy/rainy and/or too cold to go outside and paint.

here's the cloudy day description:

get up, sit at the convenient store drinking coffee and looking at the all important dayplanner. i make a list of things i need to do that day and being a list guy i rank them in order of importance. i dont like painting in the morning, so i do alot of the marketing type stuff then, answering emails, doing painting inventory to keep up with what paintings are in what galleries, blogging a daily painting, checking my online galleries, making and anwering phone calls, and handling workshop details for later in the year. there is soooo much logistically that goes into booking and following thru on a workshop. hours and hours of emails, mailing contracts back and forth, calls, etc. i review upcoming gallery shows i'm committed to and other painting deadlines like commissions. i like to do all my nonpainting stuff till just after lunch. also run errands that i didnt have time to get to (when i was out in the field painting too much). then i start combing the web looking at blogs. reading up on painting, and looking at the paintings of painters i like. this is really important because it seems like this gets my mind around painting and i feel the inspiration creeping in slowly. then i turn on court tv shows and crank up the lighting at the easel. painting isnt about inspiration as much as treating the act like any other job that has to be done. if i waited to "want" to paint it wouldnt happen in the studio too much. sunny days tho' i'm itching to get outside and paint. following a routine helps get me going inside. i'll usually work on a small daily painting while i'm making and returning phone calls, go get some dinner and then dive into the bigger paintings after dinner while i listen to the prime time tv shows. occassionally i listen to some reggae while i paint once in a while. around 10 i start winding down the easel. check emails again and then watch the news and nighty night after midnight.

Lesson and Workshop News

if you're heading down to key west to warm up this winter and would like some private lessons drop me an email and we'll get something down on the calendar. i can work with you on basic painting, drawing, plein air painting, and knife painting lessons (and more) or whatever you'd like to cover. whether youre a beginner, or an experienced painter who wants to sharpen your skills, i'd love to work with you.