Day 78

Paint paint paint. Walk walk walk the puppy. Exercise. Eat. Sleep. Paperwork. Play piano. BREATHE. xo

Day 77

More work today on a house portrait of my old home in Gettysburg. A lot of focus on the concept of "home" for me right now. Interesting to be spending time in this way with this one.

Day 76

It's far too easy to get caught up in what we feel is "missing" in our lives.. .when right in front of us, beside us, and around us, there is so very much good, and so much for which we are grateful. xo

Day 75

Though I know that my decision to close the gallery is a right choice - it's starting to hit me now, and even as I consider the time flexibility I will gain, there is some sadness over the loss of this beautiful space in my life. Such sunshine pouring in through the windows today... time to go paint. xo to all.

Day 74

I am debating whether it is best to finish up old pieces already begun, or start new and fresh? thoughts? xo

Day 73

Thanksgiving. I am grateful... for so very many things. For art, and painting, and music, and God, and friends who love me for who I am. Blessings to each and every one of you and all of you. xo

Day 72

The drought is over! Not one but THREE paintings went home today with a happy new owner, and I have a deposit for the bank on Friday. Hallelujahs! Thanks be... xo

Day 71

The block is unblocking. There is flow again and it feels oh so very, very good. I am deeply grateful for many things this Thanksgiving week, and beyond. xo

Day 70

I sense movement beginning... been in a bit of a painting slump... on the other side of the slump there is usually a binge. Here's to the binge! xo

Day 69

Announced the gallery closing in an email late yesterday... interesting to hear the responses. STILL figuring out where I go from here. I trust God will guide me if I 1) do the work and 2) pay attention! xo

Day 68

"A change would do you good" Sheryl Crow.

Day 67

CHANGE... can be exhausting AND exhilirating in the same breath. xo

Day 66

So I wonder what qualifies as a great painting... and who gets to decide? Rejected from yet another exhibit, I find myself licking my wounds, questioning my technique and subject matter. Then someone tells me how moved they were in seeing one of my pieces in my storefront window - one of the very pieces rejected just a couple of days ago by an arts association juried exhibition. So, I will paint on. For myself. Maybe for someone else. When I teach the Artist's Way class, I tell people that art is about the PROCESS. One needs to enjoy the making of the art, rather than focus on the finished piece. I wonder - have I done the very thing to my art that I said I would never do? I think that maybe I need to find a couple of part time "real jobs" to earn the rent, etc that life requires of us. And allow my painting to once again become pure and simple play. Or maybe not. The plan is to close the gallery doors on December 31, 2010. I'm not sad, really. I'm viewing it as an opportunity to move on to something else. Maybe even free myself up for a new level of creativity that having a formal gallery has taken away - or rather I have allowed it to take away. 100 days of painting. I am learning a lot. The brushes are calling... xo

Day 65

Lots of change in the air... has me a bit distracted. Looking forward to good easel time tomorrow - a BIG new painting that I have in mind to start. Going to gesso the piece of masonite (36" x 80"!) now... xo

Day 64

The pendulum swings. After the solid four hours yesterday, today is slim on the painting side. And includes rejection (or perhaps said more mildly, not accepted) into the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod's "So Big" January exhibit. Still ouchy to not be accepted into a show. Part of the artist life. xo

Day 63

FOUR STRAIGHT HOURS OF PAINTING from 8am to noon this morning. YES!!!!!!!! xo

Day 62

A beautiful weekend, spent a great deal in the midst of wonderful, loving, caring friends. Yet I find myself also very much looking forward to Monday and the start of another "workweek" - I guess one of many joys of embracing a life of creativity. xo

Day 61

Intrigued by a whole new way of layering in leaves, etc in fall landscapes. Not sure you can really see it here or not since it has a depth to it that a flat photo will probably not properly show. Not really THAT new to me - but am allowing myself to get a little more carried away by it. Stippling, really, would be the artistic "technique"... I think I will call it "nature inspired impressionism"! xo

Day 60

Today's blog will be titled "And now for something completely different...".

I started out this morning working on the round driveway painting that I posted yesterday. Introducing more yellows and golds. Then my eye was caught by a beautiful yellow tree right across the street in a neighbor's frontyard, and I decided to paint that. On a tiny canvas - about 1" x 3" - and it ended up going into abstract and texture! So then I went BACK to the driveway painting and allowed myself to loosen up some more on how I am painting that. Both here for you to see. The big round still a work in progress. The little abstract - well, it's just gotta be seen in person to be fully appreciated. I love it! (am I allowed to say that about my own work?!) xo

Day 59

I promised new images today and here they are! First... two small 8" diameter rounds of lighthouses on Martha's Vineyard. Second - a different sort of pet portrait of puppy Rosie the first time that she saw herself in a mirror. And the third - a newly started painting that is an 18" round of a driveway scene in late fall. There will be lots of golds and oranges in this one. FUN! xo

Day 58

GOOD stuff today. Off to bed now. New images tomorrow. I promise! xo

Day 57

A good day of painting AND pastels. New ideas. Finishing a few small pieces that a gallery has requested. All good. All moving forward on the "career artist" thing! Thanks be to God. AND I also thank God tonight for some very dear friends who amaze me with their love and support. You know who you are. Thank you. xo

Day 56

Day 56. Just a little over halfway. This has been an interesting adventure - the 100 days of painting. I find that there are days in which I can't wait to get to the canvas, and when I do, I don't want to leave it, and others where I just don't even want to go near it. But the commitment is honored. And always when I DO show up, it is much more fun than I anticipate. I still haven't gotten to the 20 hour week yet, which seems kind of ridiculous, but the rest of life - and work - seems to intervene. Will give it another try this week. I'm feeling more balanced in general, and perhaps that will enable me to keep focused. For those of you on the gallery's email list, you know that there are potential big changes afoot. I actually feel energized by the idea, even as I realize that a move will take a LOT of my energy and attention, but it feels like it will be moving ahead to something even better, so that holds it's own excitement. Still lots of questions around it, but I'm ready to move forward. AND to paint more!!!!!! xoo

Day 55

Ok - so it's YOUR turn!!! Anybody out there? Please email me at mimi@mimisart.com to let me know if you are reading this... I feel like I've been talking to myself for 55 days!!! xoxo

Day 54

I apologize to those of you who have been following that I have been writing very short, not very deep entries lately. More to the story in a few days, but suffice to say it's been a busy week. Changes afoot - good changes - and the painting has been sporadic though yes, still daily. All in all a VERY good discipline that I have a feeling I will want to continue well beyond the 100 days. Thanks to each of you who read this... peace and blessings of love and beauty to you. xo

Day 53

Submitted three pieces to an Arts Foundation juried exhibit today! Fingers and toes crossed - will know next week!!! xo

Day 52

Working today on a piece to be entered into an exhibit sponsored by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, called "So Big" (The exhibit, that is.) Third time for doing this image... I just love painting it! This time about twice as big as the first, with a green background (trees) rather than water and sky. An interesting experience to paint the same subject more than once, with different emphasis. Shown here. (and the first version above, at top of blog!) xo

Day 51

I must post earlier in the day so that I write more. Going well. Painting starting to feel like it is going in new directions. More tomorrow. xo

Day 50

HALFWAY to 100!!! An excellent painting morning, but too tired now to write. I'll do more tomorrow (is anybody out there even reading this?!) xo

Day 49

Excellent painting this morning. Doing some portrait work - but not far enough along yet to share (yes, I'm being shy tonight). Almost halfway to 100... this is a GREAT commitment. xo