Expect Inspiration in the Most Unexpected Places

Today I was hoping to think of something interesting to share on my blog. Low and behold, I found inspiration in the bottom of my water bucket. Yesterday I began work on a new commissioned piece, and I had left one of my tools in the bottom of the water bucket after cleaning up. This morning when I grabbed my water bucket, I pulled out the tool and found this amazing design on it. I immediately took a picture of it with my phone so I could remember the design and details. I don't know if you can see how interesting it is. It looks a little like a painting I made years ago, but different too. I can't wait until I can create it, but with more color!

The moral of the story; expected inspiration in the most unexpected places! Where do you get inspiration? Please tell me, I would love to know!

Consistent Studio Time

This month I have been spending some much needed and long awaited time in the studio and I am so happy! The day after the kids went back to school, I started painting again in my home studio for large blocks of time during the day and it has been simply wonderful. I have a goal of completing 25 new paintings by January 31st of 2013. This is no arbitrary goal though. I have an exhibit that I am getting ready for. I have only told a handful of people about this because I am waiting until I sign on the dotted line before I actually say where it will be. Until then, suffice it to say that I will be spending some serious and consistent time in the studio this fall. Yay!!! Nothing like a great goal and a deadline to kick your butt right into production.

This is the painting I started today. I cut some simple stencils for it.

So far this month, I finished a commissioned painting for my dear friends Ron and Rey, and I have begun five new paintings, all in varying stages. Today when I was ready to clean up, I took some photo details of most of the paintings because I am just dying to start talking to someone about them!

Ron and Rey's detail of their commissioned painting. Better photos and a full post about this project to follow!

This is a tiny detail of the first painting for my show. It is HUGE 42"x72" and it is predominantly white!

This is WIP #2 of the group. I used silver foil flakes in it!

WIP # 3 Detail. I figured out this new way to achieve an awesome texture using paper!

There is one more painting on the easel that I didn't photograph because it's kind of in an ugly stage and I wasn't ready to talk about it yet. I also worked a little on my next art journal page and I worked a little more on my next Wishful Painting. It has been in progress since June! I messed up the colors though and I just don't know if I can bring it back. We will see....

So what kind of projects do you have going? Re-decorating? Purging your garage? Creating a new piece of art? I love hearing about other people's projects. It motivates me!