900th Post! Journey, painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Journey, 2014, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Oil on board, 8"x10"

 

When you get comfortable with the colors on your palette, know what to expect of each one, know how it will react with all the other colors you squeeze out for your working day, and exactly how it will mix, it’s time to add a new color to your palette.  Or perhaps try a whole new palette. 

An artist should never get too comfortable with any materials and methods that allow staying in a comfort zone for too long.  That’s not the job of an artist.  Experiment, try a color, method or material, think about your work with a fresh eye. Comfort equals complacency, and complacency stifles creativity. 

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because I’ve been painting the Everglades for a long time now.  Still, after examining my motives, I know I’m not done yet.  I continually see new things, new colors, new forms.  The light continues to be fabulous,  and it intrigues and inspires me.   I don’t copy nature, my paintings come from something deep within me that resonates with this ancient landscape.  The day I feel complacent and the work becomes easy, I’ll try something new. 

 

I feel the same way about this blog.  I started writing in 2007, and today marks my 900th blog post!  When I started there was no Facebook and no Twitter.  Now I use social media to connect with my collectors, and both art and social friends.  But the blog is my web journal and I'm not ready to give it up completely.  I'm not as faithful as when I named it Jo-Ann Sanborn Daily -- what was I thinking??? Still, look for post 901 soon!