The key to increasing your artistic ability (and inventory) is to paint every day. To succeed, there is no waiting for divine inspiration; there is only getting out the brushes, paint, and canvas and digging in. To mix my slogans and metaphors, just do it and it will come.

This is much easier said than done. Someone told me that I must find painting relaxing. When you are in the zone and things are going well, you enter into a sort of Zen state where time flies by. That happens once in a while. Then there is rest of the time - when it is a slog and you are cursing yourself for being so inept. This is uncomfortable at best.

So, I procrastinate. I straighten up my studio; I sort through prints; I watch painting videos; I post on social media; I dither about what to start next. And then I tell myself to get busy and I start in again. I am mid-procrastination stage right now. I have at least 6 or 7 projects I want to tackle. I did do a quick plein air study of my hydrangeas. Does that count? Tomorrow, I am going to give myself a pep talk and force myself to dig in. Thanks for listening.