“Daisies, Essex”

I really love this painting. It also serves as a touchstone to remember a lesson I learned again the day I painted it. I'd spent hours that morning walking about and just not seeing anything paint-worthy. I'd reached a point of real discouragement and was just about convinced I could find nothing to paint in that location that day, when suddenly I turned and was enthused by this scene which has turned out to be an enduring favorite. I can't say how many other days I've been long unable to "find a painting" in a place, only to later see something myself or be thrilled with a brilliant composition a fellow painter was able to see where I saw none. That ability to see the possibilities for compositions is often harder than the execution, the latter challenging enough in itself. It slowly gets easier as I develop my eye. I suspect there's some specialized, tuned "way to see" that I hope further develops and comes alot easier! I can't get into painting unless a subject really sparks my fancy with an emotional connection, and sometimes that's in the way interesting shapes interplay; a rich value range; striking colors and harmonies; dramatic light effects; focal points, lines and shapes that create possibility for meaningful compositions. I haven't found it easy to find those artistically-rich combinations: I spend countless days searching and often never do find it. I persist, and eventually do again hit paydirt, remining myself that it remains possible.