Yesterday, I was starting to feel this low rumble of stress. My plan for the day included painting a large 18” x 24” linocut. So far, I’ve spent at least 40 hours on the piece. But… it just wasn’t working for me. The light was off, the black line clouds were too thick and solid for an ethereal sky.
I had tried a couple of different fixes - making colours stronger here and there, leaving certain areas white… but I couldn’t come up with anything that worked.
You know what worked? Abandoning it entirely.
As soon as I made the decision to let it go, my body felt lighter. I realized - even though I’ve spent lots of time on it, I’m not confident in this piece. And if I’m not excited about it, how could I think anyone else will be?
Art is a connection between people. And we only have so many hours. I’d rather spend my time on pieces I believe in, like the one shown here (Where it never rains, 20” x 20” paper, 16” x 16” image). Sometimes you have to chase down a few dead end roads before you see them for what they are. But when it’s right, you just know.