full circle

today i laid down the first few strokes on what will be an entirely new body of large scale, oil-on-canvas paintings for my upcoming february show at the old town cafe.  i am excited, because showing at the old town is always a sweet homecoming.  years ago, when i was a budding art student and frying eggs as a line cook there, libby gave me my very first art show on those familiar brittle brick walls.  and so february, it's come full circle, and i get to show side by side with libby, as proud entrepeneurial professionals.  

i have but less than one short month to complete the work for the show, and so the pressure is on.  finding the energy to do a small painting every day is one thing, but channeling the focus to paint through an entire eight-hour day, now that's something else entirely.  back in my crazy days, i medicated with little wacky tobaccy.  it helped me through bouts of distraction.  but these days, i've gone au naturel.  

with new images to work from and a renewed excitement for work, this is a chance for me to test out my skills and push myself even harder. the first two compositions i chose are among the most complicated and busiest larger pieces i have ever attempted, and so i've been a little apprehensive going into it.  but today, sketching in raw umber to the mind-altering sounds of elf power, while outside the snow fell in buckets, i settled into comfortable meditative rhythm.  feeling optimistic at the onset, i'm eager to see what comes of it all.