A Quiet Day in the Studio

I’m having a quiet day today. I’ve puttered around a bit, outlined my day-to-day schedule for the upcoming 100-Day Project, and have started making preparations. Earlier I read about several artists from the Hudson River School — Church, Kensett, Cropsey, among others — and I spent a little time with The Theory of Pure Design. I cleaned my oil palette, reviewed the colors I have, and put in an order for two new tubes of paint. I also ordered a pad of canvas sheets. They are very helpful for practice, and I’ll be doing a lot of that in coming months.

I also finished up a landscape painting that’s been hanging around my easel for a while. It’s been a while since I painted any mountain views — they’re not my favorite landscape element — so it was an opportunity for me to get a bit of practice there.

It’s nice now to have my easel empty — that rarely happens — and to feel a bit more organized. Since I’ve compared my 100-Day Project to an exploration, I suppose what I’m doing now might be akin to packing for my trip. 

Later today, I’ll browse a bit at Pixabay or other photo reference sites. I’ll be looking for scenes that I feel show mood and atmosphere, thinking of how I might use those scenes in my own paintings, and seeking inspiration for my art.

It’s nice to be in a quiet mood. I have no important household tasks ahead of me, dinner is already done, and I’ve accomplished a lot here in my studio this morning. So, I’m heading upstairs now for a bit of reading and relaxing, a bit of browsing, and a bit of day-dreaming.

It’s a good day here. I hope you’re having a great day, too.