Painting away today, the high temperature for today here was 14 degrees; and now it is around 6 degrees outside! What a great day to stay inside all day and paint. Early this morning I worked on a small oil from some "summer" photos of the cattle that hang out at our back fence. My hubby says it's a keeper; I'll post it tomorrow. The rest of the afternoon I worked on a commissioned rendering. So, tonight, I was reading some e-mails and came across this (see below) on The Pastel Journal site; it is an excerpt from Richard McKinley's blog and it just really hit home with me. With all the bad news out in the big bad world, it's feels good to read something like this and say YES! I do what I do because I love to paint and nothing is going to get me down. I know that I would paint "no matter what".




NEW YEAR, NEW THOUGHTS by Richard McKinley THE PASTEL JOURNAL
"As the worries of the global economic problems unfold, it's good to remind ourselves of why we paint. As a dear art friend once stated, “If I never sell another painting, win another award, or get accepted into another exhibit, I will paint.” When we internally embrace that statement is when the real work of painting begins, reminding us that something much deeper motivates us to make marks for others to see. It becomes more than decoration, there is a purpose to it that fills our life. None of us wish for rejection. We want to sell; we want to experience the gratification of someone opening their wallet and parting with hard-earned currency. We revel in the exhilaration of being acknowledged when excellence is obtained, and we feel validated when our peers accept us into their circle. But, if these never happened again, we would still paint. Historically, in times of crisis, art has been of great benefit. Whether as a form of escapism to help in dealing with everyday stresses or the realization of what an important aspect it plays in our common humanity, art serves a purpose. Even if it's a few hours a week spend enjoying the pleasures of raking a pastel stick across a surface, reading the new issue of The Pastel Journal, or visiting an art museum, we all feel better having art in our lives.With this in mind, I offer this New Year's wish: May you continue on your journey to your artistic goals, enjoying the process as much as the end result."