Fresh Paint

"Entering the Show Ring" oil on panel, 4" by 9" 2013

Right now I have really been enjoying painting more loosely. Why do I find the look of a loose painting so much more satisfying than one that is technically tight? Technique is a funny thing, you can head out in so many different directions with it and still get lost no matter what. A tight painting done well can absolutely razzle-dazzle but what about the search for freshness, emotion, and confident finesse of the artist's hand seen in varying brushstrokes through texture and direction. And more importantly, an artist's struggle can be seen, forgiven, and understood on a much higher level than in the general academic approach. The most important thing for me when building a painting is to get that essence of what the story is I want to portray. Whether it be the weather, a gesture, a single moment in time captured in color and brushwork, that is what brings me back everyday to paint exactly what I want and the way I want it.