"just stop the art"

Seriously, how does one go about "stopping the art"? Painting has been my addiction for the past 6 years or so. Though despite my addiction, I have been able to maintain a job, some healthy relationships and find joy in many other things. However, when I am not creating art, I am often thinking about art. The thinking about art has always been there ever since I can remember, only the "doing" began about 6 years ago. So, how now, after a daily commitment to creating, can I just stop...? The concept saddens me. Finding "balance" in life is such an illusive quest.
the poppy
(and dark places)
8X10
Watercolor on Aquabord

One more for the show...

After contributing so much time to the poppies, I just couldn't let this one go. A few days ago, I pulled it off the shelf. With fresh eyes it was easier for me to see what small changes I needed to make and did. Funny how just a few touches can make such a difference in a painting (or maybe it was the fresh look). I am much happier with it now and am reminding myself... the process is more important than the product and I am always learning. Thank you all for your kind comments and encouragement.
Full Glory
22X30
Watercolor on Aquabord

One for the shelf

One purpose for my life in blog-dom is to help keep me honest. Therefore, I must admit I have been delaying this post for almost 5 days. Despite my good intentions, preparation with small study sketching and color planning, I have not quite been able to make this painting work. There are parts that I really enjoy (some reds luscious and well placed, others flat lacking harmony with the other colors in the painting), and I am finding myself working and reworking the pedals on the forward flower. I almost never do this. Usually, if a painting isn't working, I just quit, shelf it and move on. A painting will pull together easily, or it won't. That's it, no fussing. A watercolor "fussed" over will almost always look overworked. Though I am facing a deadline, struggling to complete enough paintings to exhibit, and have committed so much time and energy into this large painting, I am taking a break from it (at least for now hoping to return with a little courage and clarity). This declaration feels liberating and now I am free to move on to a little more control and predictability....pastel (and hopefully one more painting for the show at Bistro Bethem in August).

Poppies, In Progress

Reds are in, centers started. Now, what to do with the background? I have painted a few ideas in a sketchbook. I want a background that will maintain the integrity of the painting and contribute to the "mood" of the subject. A little history about the poppy...

The poppy, by nature, is a wildflower. It’s seed will lie stagnant in the ground until it is disturbed. During times of war, soldiers would, inadvertently, churn ground as they marched though fields. The result was a beautiful and overabundant growth of poppy flowers found to flourish in conditions where most other flowers would die.

Poppies

First glazes of warm and cool reds. Using water and gravity to push the paint around, creates movement with the pigment as it dries on the clay surface. I use these controlled "blossoms" create the form and curves of the pedals.

First the Yellow

I have begun the final painting for my show at the Bistro coming up in August. These poppies were growing in my neighbor's yard and at full bloom were stunning. I love their simplicity in shape and form: only 4 pedals to paint. These poppies will be larger-than-life and in full glory on 22X30 aquabord. First, I put in the yellow underpainting, which will be the foundation for a variety of warm and cool reds.