I was just reading an article about a study on the internet that reported men who engaged in an artistic activity of some sort, whether hands on or viewing, are “more likely to be happy with their lives and satisfied with their health than men who don’t enjoy the finer things in life”. Heh, heh, heh. I knew it all along. Combine that with riding a motorcycle and it can’t get much better. So there.

With the slump in the economy the last several years the sales of art have slowed considerably, as in having come to a screeching halt. When you paint for a living, that has a huge impact on both ones income and mental outlook. It is real hard to get motivated and inspired to paint when very little of what you have painted in the last couple of years has sold. It is easy to think about finding something else to do like auto mechanics or plumbing or something that is in demand.

I haven’t done much painting lately. Every time I think about starting a new one I think, “what’s the point?” The problem is that an artist has an inner drive to create. Sooner or later that urge has to be satisfied or life in general becomes problematic. The other day I found myself pacing the floor, aimlessly, back and forth. This has happened before. I know the symptoms. Sooner or later it begins to get on my wife’s nerves and she’s been known to snap at me “go do a painting”.

It is well known, among artists anyway, that one should not paint for the money. An artist should paint for his or her own satisfaction. Since not much is selling these days, it is a good opportunity to do just that. One of my most cherished activities is to paint on location. Get out somewhere and paint what is in front of me. It isn’t just the physical act of doing the painting that is so satisfying, it is the entire process of traveling around and searching for a motif and then setting up and capturing the essence of the subject matter.

It’s well known that I like to get out and about from time to time. The reason is, I see so much that inspires me and I come back from such excursions with a renewed sense of desire to paint and write about what I experienced. I’m not a mechanic or a plumber, I’m an artist. I can’t help it. That’s who I am and that’s what I do and I’m happier and healthier for it. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be in touch.