Reflections

The world seems to slow down in November.  Its a time of transition – for the seasons, for politics, and for people.  Leaves that were vibrant just a couple of weeks ago are now brown and shrivelled.  They litter the neighborhood, along with used campaign cards and candy wrappers.  Gone is the ruckus of little goblins and witches, as Halloween sees its last hurrah.  Now at Thanksgiving, everything in nature seems to be getting sleepy. Even the ground squirrels in my yard are seeking places for a good long winter nap. The focus of life turns inward.

     During this time I like to reflect on the work I have done this past year. I find I usually ask myself the same questions.  Did I do my best work?  Have I learned a technique, tried to paint a new subject, learned a bit of history about an artist or art movement that I like? Did I just repeat what I already know, or did I stretch myself in some way?  Am I a better artist now than I was last year?  What am I looking forward to in the next year?  How can I contribute, as an artist and as a person, to make a better world?  My answers to these questions suggest a road forward for the next year.  

     Always there is gratitude, for the joy my pursuit of art excellence bring to me, and sometimes to others.  Thank you for your interest in my work.  To sign up for my blog and to see some of my best paintings from this year, please go to my website: MickeyCarlsonFineArt.com