Eight Weeks

Posted by Maggie 

Much longer than I expected it would be, before I could truly paint.  But then, there never were any accurate expectations. I didn’t expect to be told I had cancer. I did not expect to wake up and have no use of my left side for weeks. And apparently, at least one of my doctors did not expect that to change. But it did. I’m walking, and able to sit at the easel to paint.

I cannot hold pastels very well because the steroids I take (in addition to giving me a pumpkin face) make my hands shake. But for some reason, holding a brush is easier, so I’m working in oils for a while.

Personal style as an artist is something people often worry about when they begin to paint. Students have often asked me how to develop it. The answer is, it will just happen. And it will evolve, and change, as you grow as an artist, and if you observe it over many years you may see that while it changes, it is always you, and always unique.

So, I was not surprised to see a change in my style. It is looser and less defined than most of my work. But I like it, and it is what is true today, though it likely will change over the next few months. This is the view looking northeast from our house towards Santa Fe, at sunrise. 

Hope, 6x8, oil on panel, ©Maggie Price

(For those who saw this post previously, the painting was listed on eBay. For some reason they removed it. As it turned out, I had felt uneasy using that service anyway, so I am not replacing it. If you were interested in purchasing, please leave a comment or send me a message on Facebook if you are a friend.)

I called the painting Hope, because I always find every sunrise, every morning, a hopeful and wonderful thing. I hope yours will be as well.