Recently someone asked me if I had a plan for my career now going forward. Goals for awards, shows etc… in other words, what does success look like to me now?

I really had to think about this question. Because those goals have shifted and changed recently. I have mentioned before that I am in a weird shifting time of my life and as a result my art has changed. After all, my art is a reflection of me.

So after a few minutes of reflection this was my answer. “I feel as though I can’t make a concrete plan for that right now. I feel as though I am walking through a large pile of leaves and I am seeing what will stick when I reach the other side.”

So today I am painting in oils with Aaron Schuerr, the master instructor I invited here from Montana. He flew in at 1am on Tuesday morning and I am monitoring the class and making sure he gets a good look at our beautiful city of Pittsburgh. We will spoil him rotten and pay him well and have him teach in the wonderful space at Sweetwater. As a result he will push me to walk where I normally do not tread. Painting in oils, outside on the streets of Sewickley, plein-air painting the landscape. All of which are not how I normally work. Me paint buildings? I am gonna try.

But it is part of the journey for me now. What will stick from this experience I don’t know. Sometimes I think the best thing you can learn in a workshop is what you don’t like to do. Then you understand yourself better.

So if you are in Sewickley this week, you may see a bunch of artists on the street. Stop and say hi- we will be working hard and may need a friendly face to encourage us. Painting is a mental brain-game and we are doing something new. I’ll let you know how it goes next week…

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