Solitude: enough vs. too much?
While solitude is inherent to the life on an artist, sometimes it's just too much for me! As author John Ortberg writes, "When parents want to punish a child, the number one method is a time-out. And the most hated punishment prison inmates receive is solitary confinement.

The solitude necessary to painting felt like a curse to me today. This is the small color sketch I did in preparation for a 12 x 16" home portrait I'm working on. Talking about it with my client surfaced some important aspects of the final painting: close the garage door, American flag on the front porch, annuals blooming in front of the house and decorative lights on either side of the garage door.

But I've had a hard time getting going today and now am just starting again, at 9 pm. Usually I paint with some other artists in Lebanon on Thursdays but we cancelled yesterday due to snow. They, and the artists I paint with in Mason, would tell you that when it's really happening for me, I lose all awareness of everything and everybody around me. Now I'm ready to try it again, after enjoying the company of friends for dinner and a delightful 7 pm walk in the snow at Sharon Woods.

Tomorrow my major creation will be trying to make a recipe from The Art of French Cooking for a "Julie & Julia" dinner. I tried making a cheese souffle for dinner last night and it turned out great but I didn't love it (tasted like air), so tomorrow I'm attempting French Onion soup. While it cooks, hopefully I'll be cooking on this portrait too!