I recently picked up Good magazine, and the issue was called their slow issue. All about the slow movement, slow food, and everything else related to slowing down. It’s a very interesting read if you feel so inclined to pick it up.

It got me thinking about how I recently decided to let go of expectations in my art, and slow down. That is one reason why there has been a slight lack of posting around here. Since I’ve been busier lately, and a longer commute means less time at night. I decided to set a time limit, each night I spend an hour on my art, in whatever form that takes. I don’t pressure myself to finish anything, or to start anything. Some nights I simply organize my studio, others I have spent just doodling and sketching. It is a slower approach to art for me. I used to work quickly, and liked to finish paintings in one sitting if possible. I still work quickly, but find that setting a time limit has helped me to let go of the finished piece and focus on the creating part more. It’s only been a few weeks of trying this out, but so far I feel like though I’m not cranking out art left and right that there are some good pieces coming through, and in due time they will make their appearance in this world.

Winter is a slow season, a time for reflection, and a time to slow down…

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The theme over at Creative Every Day for the month of January is body. This is one of the sketches I created the other day, and I feel it fits into this theme. In the past year I have started to explore different body positions and the way it evokes certain emotions in my art. Maybe I need to give more thought to this, and explore it a bit more. I want to turn this sketch into a painting with more detail.

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I knew it had been a long time since I had spent any time in my studio, but when I decided to go do some drawing down in my studio this is what I found…

Yup a Christmas tree monoprint from my cards I had been working on well over a month ago. What is sad is that this was the only painting I did in December. I have a plan to change that starting today.

My pencils are sharpened, and I have begun sketching ideas for paintings that will be brought into existence very soon!

Some photos from today…

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Got some time today to just sketch, and also started on some of the final drawings for Lil Bug #3, can’t wait to get into the studio tomorrow and work on the color for that one. Will be starting some new work as well, slow going here but making progress with each step.

A little glimpse of the next lil bug…

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Sorry these images are a little blurry, the light in my studio is out so haven’t been scanning stuff, and took these photos last night after assembling some bookmarks. Hand was a little shaky. I’ve been participating or rather trying to in the sketchbook throwdown on facebook. So I have been trying to make an effort to doodle every night before bed. I am thrilled that I have been keeping this up rather effortlessly. I just spend 10 or 15 minutes before bed and just doodle. Some great ideas have come out of it. I can’t wait to spend some time painting this week as some of the doodles are going to become some really neat paintings. Well I like to think so anyways.

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