Final Painting for the Strada Easel Challenge

30 Paintings in 30 Days – All From Life for the Strada Easel Challenge

It’s really fun to see all of the paintings together.  I look at this montage and I think of the frustration, joy, weather, adventures, hopes and goals of the past month.  While they didn’t all ‘turn out’ and some of them aren’t finished, each one presented a learning opportunity.

There were several days when I didn’t want to paint, usually because I was tired and I did it anyway.  In doing that, I found that one must “paint like you mean it”.  There is no point in pushing paint around, going through the motions or daydreaming.  It’s a complete waste of time and resources.

Day 30 – Monochromatic Tree Study
"Monochromatic Tree Study #1" 7x5, oil on linen, © Nelia Harper
“Monochromatic Tree Study #1” 7×5, oil on linen, © Nelia Harper

For the final day, I was on the road, returning home from Steamboat Springs.  I wasn’t sure I would have time to paint, so I did some quick watercolor sketches at a coffee shop in Walden.  Thankfully, I arrived home safely, unpacked and still had time for a monochromatic tree study for the “Drawing and Painting Trees Class” that I am currently taking with Deborah Paris.

While I will continue to paint (almost) every day, I don’t feel compelled to show the world everything I paint.  So, it will quiet down a bit on the blog and social media.  I’m also finding that after the pace of September, I’m ready to slow down, take my time, observe, listen and more deeply experience nature and painting it.

What do you think?

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