Stephanie Tickner Watercolors

With the holidays behind us, I find myself enjoying a bit of free time and a chance to slow down. Without having to prepare for craft fairs, meet deadlines, shop, or wrap presents, I have had time to finally do my Christmas cards, read, and even create a Twitter account for my art. I really enjoy this time to recover and regroup, but I know that soon I will get that urge to be creative again. 

Yesterday I went down to my art room in the basement to put away some stuff. That room is my very own space, and the only finished part of our basement. I love it down there. Unfortunately, it is a mess from the chaos of November and December! There are baskets of craft fair supplies on my table and chair, framed paintings on floor that need to be put away now that craft fair season is over, and gift bags around from hiding Christmas gifts in there. Needless to say, the mess squashes creativity! I wasn’t yet in the mood for cleaning it up though. It did make me think about what I might start after I do clean my room.

Looking around I saw this painting I started in the summer of a fishing boat in Acadia, Maine. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to finish it before Art in the Park in September. I also saw a sketch I did at the same time hoping to have more new pieces for Art in the Park. I drew it from a photo I took one fall on the Kancamagus Highway, but haven’t even started painting. I could easily get going on those two paintings when my motivation returns.

On the other hand, I also saw a call to artists for this juried art competition by Glamour in Mud Season in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The guidelines say, “We are eager to receive original works that depict how New Englanders can be glamorous even during mud season…Entries might emphasize the fun and playful style of theater or show the New Hampshire environment during that season (sap buckets, melting snow...).” I found some great photos in my albums of the kids playing in the March mud when they younger that I could use to create a new painting. The deadline for the competition is March 1. Maybe that is what I will work on first. I’d have to get going on that soon though!

One nice thing about down time is that I had a chance to drive to New York state today to visit with a friend. The time alone in the car, traveling on the rural roads of New Hampshire, Vermont and New York, gave me plenty of time to think and ponder a huge variety of creative ideas. The views of mountains in the haze of wood smoke, rivers with rocks covered in ice, historic villages, barns, cows, and even rusted old pick ups made we wish I had an eye camera so I could capture the scenes I drove by that so made me want to paint.

Perhaps it’s just as well I don’t have the eye cam. I already have more ideas in my head than I have time to paint! And there is still that problem of the mess in my room. I’ll just think about that another time! Here’s to a bit more relaxation.