Here is a spontaneous drawing that I just created!  I drew it with little conscious thought about process, standing rather far back from the paper and sketching freely in large strokes.  

Recently I had bought a book, "Expressive Drawing" by Steven Aimone.  It talks all about freeing up the creative source within oneself, and this little exercise that I did was based on the first exercise in the book.  

While drawing, I thought about the year that it had been, and how I had lost my cat Clementine, and how soon now that I'd have to say, "That happened last year."  I was also aware that my cat Bruce was watching me very closely, almost getting ready to pounce onto my drawing table!  He found the gestural strokes of my arm to be very inviting.  

The more that I paint and read about art, the more I realize that creativity, and not technique, is the essence of art.  Of course I've always known this in my heart, but it takes a while for it to sink into the mind, when one is so busy trying to copy reality as it appears to us everyday.  We must strive not to be limited by rules, expectations and the constraints put upon our eyes.  As the great artist Paul Klee said, "Art does not reproduce the visible;  rather, it makes visible."  

I look forward to doing much more abstract work like this, in 2013!    

"Improvisation #2"
Wax pastel on paper, 14" x 17".

Well, here is the last painting of the year.  :)  Happy new year, everyone!

Acrylic on MDF, 5" x 7".

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm working on a new painting again, if you'd like a quick look at it so far:

Painting complete!  :)

I call this one, "Afternoon Threesome".  Formerly called "An Afternoon with Fruit".
Acrylic on MDF, 10" x 10".

I had to let this canvas dry for a bit, as it was getting loaded down with wet, sticky paint!  But it's finally ready for more work, so here's a new peek at it.  Still plenty left to do on it.

  

The progress is coming along!  :)  

This is a new work in progress!   :)  It's a bit larger than usual, being 10" x 10".  Should be fun.

I didn't want to go to bed until this was finished!  I don't think the photo does it justice, though.  Anyway....   :)

Acrylic on MDF, 5" x 7".

I just had this painting framed at Phoenix Art Supplies & Framing, in Doylestown.  It looks really sharp, I think!

Just to see what it looks like, I slipped this previous painting into one of the frames that I decorated a while back ago.   :)

Another quick update on this one:

A second peek at the new one!  :)  Hopefully this layer of paint will dry overnight, and then I'll continue working on it.

I used Liquitex brand paint for the initial raw umber layer, as it dries really quickly, and allows me to proceed painting again almost right away.  But when I start suggesting actual colors of the painting, as in this second stage, I use Golden brand's OPEN acrylics, which have a slower drying time.  That way, blending colors will be easier!

I just began a new painting!  Here is the first stage.  The only paint color here is raw umber.  

Can you guess already what this will be a painting of?  I'll give you two guesses:

1)  Twenty chihuahuas getting belly rubs and special doggie treats.  

2)  A still life with fruit.

I guess it could go in either direction at this point!  

Today I went back to this previous painting, and did some refinement!  I felt like it needed more paint in some areas, as well as some color additions and value adjustments.