Out of clutter; find simplicity...

Albert Einstein

My mind has been on that lately....Focus, focus, focus...simplify, simplify, simplify. Something I try to remember for life AND painting. 

As I take this time to organize my physical environment, it also spills over and seeps in. I'm trying the concepts out to a greater degree in my painting lately, as you saw in my last post on my 'egg phase' at the Yellowstone Heritage and Research Center.

But focus and simplicity REALLY is a challenge in plein air painting, since that one is such an 'intense sport' with so much visual stimuli to orchestrate onto a canvas - quickly.

How much can I simplify - where's too much? Keep focused on your priorities and eliminate the unnecessary details...

Am I speaking about life or art? For me, they are one and the same. So I've been plein air painting lately with these concepts in the forefront of my mind.

This recent painting I'm putting out there as my effort to focus and simplify - strip away the unnecessary and find the beauty that remains. No, I don't consider it totally successful, but an honest effort in that direction. Am I going in a good direction, or do I need to 'scrap those ideas' and move on? Too soon to tell, but that's part of the process...



9" x 12" plein air oil

 For me, it's important that what I choose to do, I do well. And that involves a lot of practice - or in painter terms... covering a lot of canvas! Trying out new ideas, putting out the effort, covering that canvas, keeps me pushing my limits, keeps me hiking up that learning curve.

The good thing about painting, is if you keep up the effort, you'll never need to worry about sliding down the other side of the learning curve! There will always be new hills to climb - if you choose to take that challenge. And THAT'S a personality thing, that we'll save for another day.