I am in my 30th year of making art my full time pursuit and what better way to be sure it has a prominent place in my day than for me to be economically dependent upon it. At least that is somewhat of a guarantee for me. If I didn't have to let go of paintings and "sell" them I would probably never finish one. I love to start ideas and as soon as something starts to "gel" in my mind, whether it's the composition, the subject, the color harmony or the rendering, I am ready to move on to the next white surface. Having to complete paintings has been instrumental in establishing for me what they call a "body of work." From the very beginning when I chose this path I knew the importance of a "body of work." I had worked with clay previously and knew the importance of making gradual growth with changes, improvements or alterations in my work. In pottery, using the same three glazes and using the same clay body will create a continuity that visually establishes a recognizable "body of work" and establish mastery and confidence. In painting, it can be many variables. It can be brush stroke, composition, subject matter, treatment, and color and more. Clearly there can be many factors but change should be slow. The artist that starts with drawing, rushes through watercolors, gets out the staple gun and stretches a canvas for oil paint and finishes up the month with pastels is going to have a harder time finding their voice than the artist who uses a methodical approach of organic change over a lengthy period of time. This is not just because the audience isn't ready for the variety. It's because the artist isn't absorbing the media into her/his inner creative mind and physical body and letting them work in harmony and with harmony. The manifestation of the artwork is a dance the artist does with his/her mind and the materials of he/she has chosen to master. A deft understanding of abilities mixed with the chosen, "matter" can only be generated by repetition. I once asked my therapist to sum me up. What was my style? What did I have to say? And the response was well we won't know until the end after you've lived your life. That was a truly unsatisfactory answer for me at 40 but I do now understand that is the way it is. It's nothing to worry about. It will take care of itself. It just is. Climb one mountain at a time and leave your mark. Take that knowledge with you when you start your ascent on the next one. Here's a recent painting YES another girl writing.