December 14, 2023 Almost the end of the year. I have written little this year. Now that the winter months are upon us, I hope to return to writing more about where I am emotionally and what I am doing in the studio, physically. The summer show at Mitchell-Giddings seems like a faint memory. The summer was difficult getting the work done feeling, so much pressure. I guess the show was well received with a few sales mostly to loyal friends.In the process I felt I continued to learn more about the CWM, dry pigments, oils and stones. One of many quotes I keep on my studio wall. "When people look to the right they are thinking of what's to come and to their left, of their memories. Someone said to me the other day, and it has been said before, you have changed so much in your painting throughout the years. I think people imagine artists to find something they are good and replicate and do that for the rest of their lives. Yes, I have often made changes but if one looks overall, I

change but also spiral. I leave a spot and then I move on only to return to where I left off, pick up the pieces again and onward until the next inspiration jetiscends me again. The latest continuation I suppose I would say is to not focus so much on the actual stones which I had been placing in their little cubicles but to focus on the surface of the stones covering the entire panel with monochromatic textures. After studying with Rebecca Crowell, I became more interested in her partner Jerry McClauglan who does large dark panels. He builds up layers and layers of texture. I am more interested in some colors of Nature rather than mostly black. His work is dramatic but too dark for my work. I love the lush greens and blues of nature. Also, by using dry pigments of glittery materials and crushed mica, the faint sparkles add some surprise to the monochromatic work. Deciding to not always insert stones in my work but rather to paint the surface of the stones, is my latest spiral on my path...and hopefully not my last.