For a while now I'd been casting about for 'direction' in that constant question of what to paint next. Then the other day I bought Robert Henri's book, "The Art Spirit," and on the twelfth page he writes, "An art student must be a master from the beginning; that is, he must be master of such as he has. By being now master of such as he has there is promise that he will be master in the future." I've read other versions of that notion- to paraphrase: completely fill the place you have in your life in the present; take care of the job in front of you/love the people in front of you/clean the house you live in/do all that you do now with your best skills and best effort.... because until you do, you can't possibly be ready for what's next, or what's better.
I was immediately aware of the paintings I have sitting around the studio that have been started, but not finished. Ok, well, some of my broadcast viewers remind me of them regularly, too. I see that I need to finish a few paintings before asking what's next. Expect some finishes in the next few posts!
-Susan