"A painting is never finished—it simply stops in interesting places." — Paul Gardner

Into the Blue Again. 20" x 20", acrylic on canvas.

Have you ever seen the quote above from Paul Gardner? I really like it because it reflects how I feel about many of my paintings. How do you know when an abstract painting is done? Is it ever? Sometimes it seems perfect with the first strokes, and other times, even if you've overworked it and it looks terrible, layering new paint over it or even sanding paint away can create a completely different being. When you stop that process depends on what you see in the work. That's the conundrum and the beauty all at the same time. 

Unlike some of my paintings that I rework months later, Into the Blue Again is in its final form. It's very satisfying when you're sure. This painting feels quite complete to me, both in composition and in the way it fulfills my mission of bringing joy and respite to its viewers. I'm very excited about it and hope you love it too!

In fact, I'm excited about the whole "Wave" series! The paintings are not all sea paintings, but they all do "flow." You'll see! I hope to share the rest of the 10-painting series over the coming weeks. As always, if you have questions or would like to start or add to your art collection, just reply to any e-mail and I'll be happy to chat.