I quite like starting a painting. It's exciting. The bit I find hard is when I'm working on a piece but I have to stop and start - life/work gets in the way.
I can't stop thinking about it and planning what I need to do next, what I need to change. For me, the painting's either finished or terrible there's no in-between.
Of course it's not really terrible - it's all in my head. There's this fear that I won't be able to create something I'm happy with and it hangs over me until the very end.
On top of this, it can take so much concentration and be utterly exhausting.
You might wonder why I do it if painting is such hard work and I'm in angst the whole time that I'm away from the easel but it is also extremely rewarding, satisfying and enjoyable.
That sense of achievement when you put the brush down for the last time after hours of painting and look at what you've created - it's hard to match.
The painting in the photo is of Alexandra Palace. It took me many hours but I think it was worth it!
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