Spring has arrived in Florida! Everything is budding out and blooming like crazy. Vehicles and anything else that lives outside has a very yellow-greenish cast to it from all the pollen floating around. Unfortunately, I'm blooming too - with runny nose, red, runny eyes, and itching like mad - as I'm allergic to all that pollen. But that doesn't keep me inside! Oh, no! Spring is not to be missed! Of course, our temps are suppose to back in the 30's tonight so apparently winter is not quite finished.

Sugar Maple Leaf Buds

In my Sketchbook

However, the weather was glorious this weekend so hubby and I went to an outside art show down in Sarasota on Saturday. It's alway a good show. There seem to be a lot less painters and more jewelry, fiber, mixed media, leather, and sculpture there than in the past. I was pleased to see many patrons actually carrying art purchases. Maybe the economy is not as bad as we think! 

I spent most of Sunday trying to "paint looser". I'm defining painting looser as less attention to detail, less polishing, get in, get it down, get out. No "go back and fix it layers". Hmmm, I failed gloriously! I can do the get in, get it down, get out part, but I am hopeless at less detail, less polishing, and forget not going back in to fix it! I have several new pieces for the "Under the Bed, Never to See The Light of Day Again" Museum under my bed!

I gave myself permission to fail, and fail again; to not like the work; to hate the work even, as long as I finished each piece. This proved a struggle at times as I just wanted to tear the paper up and start over. There are small parts on each piece that I think, "well, there's something to work on", but overall, it was a frustrating day. Painting loose is as counter-intuitive to me as driving backwards on the freeway at 70 miles an hour would be!!

I'll try it again though. As I believe it pushes me to think differently, it helps me to grow, and it shakes up status quo - always a good thing. If we do the same thing the same way as we've always done, it's not much of a surprise when we get the same thing. And if we're satisfied with that, it's a wonderful thing, but if we want to grow, and I want to grow, then I must push out of my comfort zone. To become faster. To become "fresher". To become better . . . .