Looking back, looking forward

 I started my morning wondering what other Christmas themed paintings I have done over the years. My old website, which I use exclusively as a chronological archive of my paintings, is a great resource. It allows me, and others who stumble upon it to go back to the beginning and see how the paintings have evolved over the years.

See the archive here

With the move to High River imminent, I feel a new course is about to be charted. I feel it, but I don't see it or understand it. I just know in my gut that 2024 is going to be a fresh start for both Heather and I. After almost five months of living out of suitcases, we're finally going to be reunited with our belongings and our own space. It's exciting to imagine where that is going to take us creatively.

As we prepared to transition from Fort McMurray to Okotoks in 2019, you can clearly see how this pattern of paintings had a very different feel from the early years. I was playing with a variety of visual ideas and techniques. You can see the very first explorations with trees. 

Let's look at the collage of images from the spring, summer and fall of 2023.

Painting from 2022 and onward can be seen here

You will see the development of the psychedelic series, some landscape explorations and more trees. You will also see a couple of sports paintings, one of which sold at auction for $22,000.

Looking into the crystal ball, I can't begin to find purchase on what this collage might look like six months from now. All I know is that I'm longing to get into Birdsong Studio 3.0 and start that journey.