On Turning Five

Hwy S Barn

It is my birthday week. We constantly measure ourselves by how many years old we are, our age defines us. it would be impossible to separate from being __ years old. Remember in your early twenties, when anyone above thirty was a fossil? I am sure that many of us look back fondly on those days, but quickly snap out of it when we realize that we are lucky to have survived them. Reality.
More importantly (at least to me) is that this week also represents my REbirthday, the day that I started to paint. Now, I've been painting for much of my life, but February 11 2008 marks the day when I began really working. In high school and college, I was always drawn to paintings from life, thing is, I was never very good at it. I understood that it was going to take much time and effort to be able to paint landscapes outdoors, and I was alright with putting it off until the time was right. I envy those who were able to paint through these years, but also value my own perspective. The years after college were spent designing skateboard graphics and t-shirts, I had stuff to do before I could set up my easel all day. It's been five years of painting so far, and 2013 is my last year in my second round of college, I'm looking at it as another time of change. I cannot wait to finish school and paint more.

This was my first experiment painting outdoors after returning to  painting in 2008.  

This is my second outdoor painting after returning to painting. This old co-op remains one of my favorite places to paint.

This is the third painting after returning to painting. 

We cannot live by the past. The present is so transient that it almost does note exist. As a matter of fact, we live by the future; or more accurately  we are unceasingly preparing ourselves toward it, trying to anticipate it. From this flow all ideas. It is impossible to be alive without the effort to create and to  bring something new into concrete manifestation. - Nicolai Fechin