"Villa Spicy, Paris", a new painting

 I recently read this quote from author Melinda Haynes: "Forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Write for yourself and celebrate writing." Yes!! I believe that this admonition also applies to the art of painting. It is the very difference between "filling orders" and expressing your soul.

Many of us enter art shows and competitions on a fairly regular basis. Even though we are, by nature, creative people that feel deeply about our individual work and the style in which we create, a nasty phrase can sometimes creep into our heads when we decide to enter an event: "What would the judges of this particular event like to see?" Would they like fuzzy edges, crisp strokes, traditional subjects, western scenes ...what?" It's only human nature because we want people to like what we do, but  the tendency  to be what someone else wants us to be will only stifle the bit of uniqueness we each offer to the world.

Lucky is the artist that one day goes to her studio,  creates something  a little different than she has created before, and has a fabulous time while doing it. When she wonders why she is so hungry and realizes that the lunch hour has long ago whizzed by because she was so deeply  involved in what she is doing...she knows  she is onto something! An "aha" moment. We should all live for those moments and nurture them.

The paintings that I have displayed with this blog, part of what I call my "Nightlight Series"  are products of such a moment and they please me. I would like them to please you as well. However..if not..at least one of us had a good time!