Abstract painting is the form of creative expression I enjoy most here in the latter half of my life; it is, in my opinion, the thing I am least skilled at. My imposter syndrome with painting is fairly extreme, and the few pieces I have sold have actually left me feeling a bit guilty. 

But can’t stop, won’t stop. Abstract painting, like jazz soloing or poetry or improvisational dance, is a direct recording of a person’s mood and feelings, unfiltered by “rules” (which are, of course, only guidelines) and restricted only by the medium’s capabilities to capture those moods and feelings, and the artist’s ability to express themself. 

I find it very meditative, and it is probably more therapeutic than I am aware. I try to empty my mind when I do it; as a result, I don’t have a story to tell for my paintings like some artists I’ve spoken to. I’m quite jealous when one can say “this is a painting of the water of a fast moving creek as a metaphor for a relationship” or some shit like that, and you can look at the painting and say “yep, I see it. You captured that.” Mine are just a snapshot inside the bag of cats that is my brain at any given moment. 

I do make larger paintings on canvas, but most of my painting is done in ‘multi-media’ notebooks like the above. I have stacks of them.