I have learned that it is important for me to recognize that returning to daily painting after a taking a break (such as the holiday season) is difficult. This year instead of starting out 2022 with some big, new paintings, I have decided to re-work some of the paintings that I made in 2021.

The first painting to hit the re-design practice was this painting I created on November 4th, “Butterfly Architect”. It’s a 20x24” stretched canvas with a gallery profile. I liked this painting at the time, but as it sat in the studio, I became disenchanted with the peach and orange in the upper corner. Although it would have been easy to gesso the entire painting and start fresh, I chose to revisit the palette and make some more minor adjustments.

In April of 2021, I wrote my best workshop, “Expanding on Color”. In that workshop, one of the topics I teach the importance of keeping a journal that contains palette swatch sheets and notes about your abstract paintings. I flipped back to the pages I wrote for this painting to find the exact colors I mixed back in November.

The notes saved me from wasted paint mixes and frustration with color matching. I highly recommend that you keep notes for your paintings. I wish that I would have started his practice years ago. The notes will not only help you make smaller adjustments if needed, but if your art sells and another buyer wants a similar painting, you will be able to quickly reference how you made the last one! I love that idea!

The new, refreshed painting, “Swimmingly” is more to my liking that the initial version on this canvas. I am continuing my study of crystal faces and gem inclusions and the diamond pattern is reflective of that. The idea that the crystal faces signify something in its early formation years and years ago resonates very strongly with me.

Mixing color is an endless experiment. It is very easy to get lost in the process. Understanding how to hone in on your favorite colors to mix with has been an amazing experience for me. I am saving so much money in paint now that I am able to harmonize all of the colors I am mixing with.

Come back next time, I have another painting on the re-do shelf that I would love to show you.

Happy New Year!

Edit: The painting lasted 24 hours in the state you see in the photo above. I don’t know what’s going on but I changed it again. The painting is not finished:

My 2022 Painting Warm Up