The painting process

I am reading a great book, "The Painter's Process" by William F Reese. Quoting from pg 21, "My advice to all beginning painters would be to fall in love with the process of painting and learn to make this your reward. Remember that one is never as good a painter as one thinks when a piece works, or as bad as one thinks when it doesn't. Tomorrow you'll try the same thing that proved successful today and fail, and vice versa. We all will experience humility in major doses"

The craft of painting can not be taught to us, but, it can be learned by us. The most we can expect from the greatest of teachers is direction and guidance. In other words, our teachers can only show us ways to teach ourselves, the rest is up to us. This is basically a process of self education we must go through. It will only be through endless hours of disciplined practice that we will develop the skills and sensitivity necessary. Once the craft is mastered, if indeed it ever is, there is no guarantee that we are even beginning to approach art. To be an artist is to reach a higher plane, a level of high excellence and sensitivity that must come from within."

On the days when my paintings are a bigger struggle, I am grateful that I LOVE the process of painting.

Rooting Around/ oil on canvas board/ 8 x 8/