studio view
Even on a November evening, I now have daylight (or something a lot like it) in my studio--two fixtures with 6 4-ft. fluorescent daylight bulbs each are hanging over my painting area. Next step--a way to heat that does not involve hauling wood and huddling by the stove, poking at it for an hour every morning. I'm making these wondrous modern improvements because I need to continue being as productive as I can--no more knocking off at 4 or 5pm on winter days, as has been my habit. With good light and heat (yes, OK, pretty basic stuff!) I can keep working into the evenings as I've been doing all summer and early fall.

Besides showing the effect of new lights, this photo also tells a bit about my working methods. You can see panels in different states of completion, and trial arrangements on the wall. I just stick them up with push pins to hang on, which works fine if I make sure the pins are always secure. For bigger panels I use nails. (My wall is totally riddled with holes from doing this, so I'm not sure where that is heading..another issue to deal with someday.) I keep moving things around until I find what works, then have the panels permanently bolted together by a carpenter.

The small panel on the wall at the far left shows the "abstract expressionist" phase that happens at the start--for me this initial stage is a fairly brainless slapping on of colors, just to energize the surface. The painting next to it, the large gold colored one, is probably done, but needs to sit awhile under my scrutiny. The rest are in various stages between beginning and end.  ¶ 9:57 AM