Heading Home Soon

A small pastel sketch on Biggie paper.  Taking another shot

at painting this waterfall on Oak Creek.

This is attempt number 4 of Oak Creek Waterfall.  This is only a

beginning with wet into wet soft color.  I have some idea where this

is going so we'll see what happens later.

This is what I call noodling!  The word comes from using bare

hands to reach under river banks to catch huge catfish.  How that

has anything to do with this piece ... well, I started by just spraying

water onto the sheet randomly.  Then taking wet paint and dropping 

it in the water and letting it stretch.  At that point I take a liner brush

with water and draw wet crosshatch patterns that just touch the

wet paint and water already on the sheet.  You can piddle with

this for a very long time.  Not necessarily a good thing.  It was

fun to do.  No expectations.

This is the 3rd attempt at this little moutain range.  Another 

example of stopping to late!

It's been nice being here in Sedona.  We did some hiking,

sightseeing, reading, napping and enjoying the sun which 

was with us most of the time.  

My good friend, Loriann Signori has always told me that the

struggle with painting and searching for happiness while

doing it is always the worst before a significant breakthrough.

Well friends, this should be one hell of a breakthrough because

my struggle here in Sedona has been one for the books.

Practically every day I painted was frustrating either because

they didn't begin well or they didn't end well.  I mixed enough

mud to fill the Mississippi, used enough paper to fill a flat

file and turned the light out and walked away more than 

I'm used to.  I thought I would go ahead and post today's

happenings, not because I'm happy with them but just to show

I'm still drawing breath and juggling brushes.  We'll leave

in about a week to head home.  Our trip will lead us north

to Utah and Zion National Park, Arches National Park and

Canyon Lands National Park for a few days and then start

our trek east back to Michigan.  Hope it's finally spring time!