My ears are met with the sound of crisp noisy plastic wrap - a rush of sound and then a waiting canvas before me.

I love running blindly, wildly, into that stark white expanse. Abstract painting, for me, is all about releasing, confronting, accepting and moving past my thoughts. You can be totally free - save for your own judgment and after you overcome yourself… It. Is. Exhilarating.

But what happens when you make marks before really settling into those thoughts? Catching the action before any pesky doubt bubbles up and breaks through. By the time it does, I’ve already made a few marks.

This is how I paint with emotion rather than calculated thoughts, with no clear plan for the end result. Of course...some planning still makes its way in.

What colors hold my interest at that moment?
How can I create value, depth, interest?

There comes a point in every painting that I resurface back into the real world and really look at what I’ve made. I sit back and reflect on my journey...ultimately that’s what I value most in the process, not the end result. What part of the process do you value the most? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Thank you for reading.