Keeping Commitments is Difficult

 After my last post, which was tragically overdue, I made a commitment in my little internal brain that I would post more often, create more art, do less non-constructive and self-harming things, and do more constructive and good-for-me-overall things.  Resolutions are stupid so these were not resolutions.  Also, apologies to anyone reading that does not think resolutions are stupid.  They are just stupid for me because I know who I am and I know that I am never 100% anything.  Unfortunately, my little internal brain (yes, I know that's redundant since we don't have external brains...yet!) doesn't like to keep commitments so I procrastinate by doing dumb impulsive things so I can avoid doing the things I committed to doing.  But this time I planned it out, hopefully a bit better.  After the last post, I went up to the attic and brought down three blank canvases and set them out on the floor by the easel to be the blank, staring eyes of ghosts reminding me that I should actually put these skills to use.  

Today I needed a little solace from the world around me and decided to actually keep one of those commitments.  After the realization that I had become 'stuck' on the last painting, I thought I would challenge myself but also provide some easy alternatives to particular painting problem and just start three paintings at once.  I know that this is nothing new for professional artists and I get it, sometimes your mind just has too many great ideas that are all jostling for the prime-time spot on your calendar and choosing one means sacrificing the others as they fade away and you lose the spark to bring them to life.  So, I threw down my own gauntlet this time and started three at once.  I know I'm going to regret this later but the kid's challenge to me made an impact and hopefully I will find the joy once again in practicing (but never perfecting) a bit of art.  As a bonus, I was happy with the skies on all three of these and that was even using the cheap-o titanium white paint!

Also, as a bonus, I realized there was another woodblock print that I had completed but didn't publish.  My hope is to make a series of 'Couve scenes of places that I find appealing.  This one is of the Vancouver Amtrak Station.  It's one of the original railroad stations from the turn of the century and reminds me perfectly of one of the station styles from the old PC game, Railroad Tycoon II (one of my absolute favs!).  Enjoy.