Lake Grass

Lake Grass, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

Lake Michigan has incredibly tall dunes that extend up and down the western side of the state of Michigan.  There are smaller versions also some flatten out all together allowing protective grasses to take over, like at the ocean. Sea grass is like a form of kinetic sculpture, constantly in motion, rarely still. And it beautifully captures the light, casting delicate shadows.  

I have been reading Carol Marine's book on Daily Painting and am thoroughly enjoying it. I appreciate how her book is an abridged version of my college art years and then some.

I do find myself feeling hopeless in some organizational areas she suggests for artists, like palette set-up  (I "failed" at this during college as well).  I was laughing when I set up my palette recently after reading her well articulated section on that subject, and realized I am the perfect example of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". I still randomly squeeze out paint, with no color-wheel order. And, I still mix paint with my brushes rather than a palette knife, a habit I actually have tried to stop many times. In some ways my knee-jerk reactions to color(s) is a result of my particular state of mind (i.e. mood) of the day. I have my favorites to pair up, and then experimentation comes into play for the rest.