Jan_19 Waiting for inspiration!

Spontaneity is a huge part of my life. It’s central to my psychotherapy practice as well as my art. I find that I only need to begin, and then follow, the bits of inspiration. Sometimes the spark for the next bit of action is there immediately. Other times it takes a while to emerge. It’s taken me a while to trust this process of waiting for the next bit of instinct to emerge. Early on in this process, I found myself filled with fear when the next piece of direction wasn’t forthcoming. I have learned to enjoy the waiting . . . wondering myself what will emerge. These painting are examples of pieces that proceeded slowly with pauses in between action . . .

Sometimes I find the painting is on a roll and there are no gaps or break . . . it is in a hurry to be completed! These painting are example of those that were in a rush to be completed . . .

This method of proceeding has had an interesting side effect. I literally work on several paintings at one time. If I’m waiting on one painting, then I simply shift my attention to another. Sometimes I’ll have an excess of paint from working on one painting and then I’ll look around and notice that another painting is begging for that excess paint to be displayed on its canvas. I find that I never tire of the experience because it’s always new and fresh and exciting. I never know where a painting is headed. In my therapeutic modality of psychodrama we are taught that the director must learn to follow the protagonist. So, I have many years of experience as a leader who follows. I find that this pattern mirrors itself in my paintings. My paintings call out to me and I have learned to follow. Often when I’m working on 5 or 6 paintings I will discover that they all come to the completion stage at the same time. So suddenly I have a group of finished paintings. I am always delighted when I look at a group of recently completed paintings and can appreciate how unique and distinct each one is and at the same time they all have a feel of being created by the same artist. Here are a group of paintings that were all completed together . . .