I follow the new

This week, I continued to be pulled along by the new series that seems to be materializing. Having many canvases on the go in the studio always seems to work well for me and because of this, the series seems to be growing rapidly.

This week there was an addition to the series' palette, the beautiful and seductive Payne's grey joined us. I was richly rewarded by allowing the color into the mix. I was trained to avoid using black paint when another color will do and I have broken the rule often by using charcoal or charcoal powder mixed with walnut oil in previous paintings. This time I used a tube of Payne's grey and fell in love. The color is so rich, like the perfect shade of punk rock blue-black hair dye and with the texture of crude oil. I was hard pressed not to cover the whole canvas in this color and call it a day. I fear I will have to hide this paint, the way it holds a brush stroke is divine. Everyone talks this way about a tube of paint, right?

In other news, I wrapped up the Rothko module in the MOMA course (a few days behind). It felt good to get caught up and take the quiz. I wasn't as inspired by this module as I was of the others strangely. I am looking forward to lovingly cramming all of Agnes Martin into this weekend. I am so glad I came across the course, I am not sure if this body of work would have materialized if I hadn't. It's just so good to see work of well-loved painters in a different way and to read their words and thoughts and to learn their techniques. To feel connected and supported by the painters that came before is such a comfort and joy. Because of courses like this, I know that there are people on the planet that see color the way I do, as well as people that fall in love with tubes of paint.

Until next week, keep fighting. The world needs you and your art.