Saturday, December 29, 2012

GARDENING IN JANUARY

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.
Claude Monet

January is always a welcome month for me because it feels very free. During the summer I am busy keeping up with cards for markets, fall I am preparing Christmas cards and ornaments, and doing commissions. Not that I don't enjoy every second of all that. But in January there is a short window where I let myself putter in my studio. Without feeling like I should be doing something more constructive. Like cleaning out, looking at pretty books, trying out new ideas for paintings. One year I started all of the color collages that caused such a frenzy in me that January ended up being more productive than any other month.
One year, it snowed a LOT, and each time it snowed I ordered flower bulbs for my yard, dreaming of spring. This was when my boys were out of school for almost two weeks. Then I started a bunch of flower paintings, and six zinnias were done, along with so e dahlias and others, in a matter of about three days.

January always holds some time for reflection, a time for looking ahead, and for some "planned" spontaneity. I can't wait to see what 2013 holds.


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