This Week in the Studio | Happy Accidents

I usually work on more than one painting at a time. Paint is expensive and I'm a waste-not-want-not kind of woman. Painting two or more pieces at a time allows me to stay loose and keep my mind moving. Its also a great way to prevent getting too myopic or over-wrought about one particular piece. If I get stuck on one, I can simply shift to the other.

Another thing I do to preserve materials is to have what I call a splash sheet - a blank piece of paper or canvas to receive the dregs. I have no working master plan for the splash sheet, it is merely the recipient of whatever is left on the palette at the end of the day. Sometimes the splash sheet becomes a piece of art and sometimes the paint simply serves as a base foundation to be painted over at a later date.

Once I feel that the base layer is in place, I put it on the easel and begin shaping the overall look of the piece. The structure and feel of the impromptu splash sheet informs what the painting will become. I love working like this because it allows my creative process to remain free and open. And no one loves happy accidents more than me! The painting below was created from my latest splash sheet. It is entitled Watching Water and it is available now in the SHOP!

Watching Water  -  18 x 18 inch acrylic and oil pastel on canvas