How it happens

Quite a while back my friend (and fellow Artist) John Roof Posted a photo of himself leaning into a huge blank canvas.
I was taken by the despondency of the image.
I have felt this way so often when facing a new canvas.
"Will it turn out okay?"
"Have I decided on the right colours?"
And then I pick up my brush and begin.
The end result, (for me at least) has very little resemblance to what I had originally planned.
I do not follow plans very well.  I am more of a "Let it happen" kind of artist.The end result of what I paint is always better than I had formerly imagined
(To me at least)

This is the photo that inspired me....

This is what I painted

(If you click on the image it will enlarge,)

It is Acrylics on canvas
12" X 18"
Using a Clear painted Matte gel overlay of the figure of John.
I used Brushes/Pallette Knives
Matt gel/Molding paste.
For the overlay of John I line painted his image on a 1/8" thick
strip of gel
and cut it out.
Once the actual painting was dry, I affixed the gel to it.
It is transparent because we bare our soul and whole self to the world with every work we produce.
Every work of art we produce shines through us.

I tried to convey the lonesomeness all Artists feel when they begin to paint.
What all Artists feel when they reach "the ugly stage"
"Why did I start this, Am I totally crazy?"
The fear when we stop of
"Is it done
is that enough?"
 And somehow the Joy and sense of accomplishment when it is finished.

~~Later all....