New Acrylic Painting

Acrylic 8x10 

It has been a very busy (mostly) 3 months since I retired.  I love it!  I haven't quite hit my stride yet, but I'm getting close.  I've been creating journal pages and pinecone wreaths, knitting, crocheting (actually taught a group of friends), and visiting family and friends.  I also completed the above painting and organized my studio.

In addition, I started taking a watercolor class with my best friend.  It's been a lot of fun and got me back to playing with my watercolors.  Watercolor paints and I have always had a love hate relationship, like many people, I understand.

On the personal side, there are days when I feel lost and not sure what to do with myself, but they are becoming fewer.  Mostly, I feel like I still don't have enough time to do what I want to do.  How can that be?  I have no idea.  I start my days with a workout at least 3 days a week and a walk with my husband every day that isn't too cold (like last week).  Then I dig into life.  Catching up on various social networks (this is where blogging should fit in) before heading to my studio.  Well, that would be ideal.  In reality, I spend time paying bills, cleaning the house, cooking meals, running errands, trying to figure out which insurance plan is the best deal so I can get enrolled before it's too late, and making lists.  Then I head to the studio.  Yes, there is time left for the studio.  I just want more!

The above painting is a small acrylic.  I love Golden fluid acrylic paints.  The colors are so vibrant and mix and flow off the brush beautifully.  This painting was done with only 4 colors, with many layers.  It would have been 3 colors, but I didn't get the red quite right the first time around so I ended up putting a transparent red over the original red to get the shade I really wanted.