Description

What inspired you to paint Wishes? 

Who doesn’t like a good wish? Dandelions, their dreamy, believe-in-magic quality, have always been a fantastic treat for me. In Seattle, the starburst flowers were always exciting and in Montana there are versions bigger than my hand.  My son, when he was little, used to trail behind us on any walk.  He is a dreamer, always lost in his thoughts. He had to pick up every dandelion we saw. I think of him when I see them still.

What challenges did you face with this painting?

This is a small 6″ x 6″ painting and I’m not that comfortable painting small.  I like big, embodied strokes, so applying them to something small feels constrained.  Smaller canvases make me tense. When I finally got to the soul of this painting, I let go of that tension and just let it breath.

What techniques did you use? 

There is a lot of stamping in this painting.  That’s where all the wonderful texture comes from.  Layers and layers of paint born of frustration and hope.  And in the end, some fingerpainting finished this one off.