painting swans

It's gone a little something like this the past few weeks...

7:30 a.m.- stumble out of bed, literally running into things on my way to the bathroom
8:00 a.m.- chug coffee or hot tea with caffeine to wake up, say a little something to Seth (if he's still home) who always seems WAY too happy in the morning. pretend to laugh at his jokes.
8:30 a.m. - wake up a second time out of the trance of reading the Bible or writing in my journal or scribbling a note to not forget to buy new candles next time I'm at the store
9:00 a.m. - do the dishes, take out the trash, sweep the floors, switch the laundry
10:00 a.m. - answer emails, start painting swans and trees and houses and portraits, momentarily freak out at the long list of things to do, say a little prayer of thankfulness for having so many things to do
1:00 p.m.- lunch and maybe an afternoon walk, then back to work
5:00 p.m. - is it seriously dinner time?  I just ate 10 minutes ago. this clock must be wrong.
9:00 p.m. - talk on the phone to Seth, who is now at least 100 miles away.  say a prayer asking God to keep him safe and bring him back home to me soon
1:00 a.m. - is it really one o'clock in the morning?  geez, where does the time go?  Seth is going to shake his head at me when he finds out I'd up late again to paint.
2:00 a.m. - maybe I should stop.  The swans won't mind if I stop, will they?  Oh no.  I'm talking to the swans.  time for bed
2:15 a.m. - shower and fall into bed, completely exhausted and satisfied

Ok, it's not always like that- just lately because of all these deadlines.  Sometimes I get to take long walks and coffee breaks and sit-on-the-couch-and-read breaks.  Sometimes I stop painting at 5:00 and make a nice dinner.  Sometimes I sit on the porch for long hours and stare at the birds and squirrels in my front yard and day dream about planting another tree so we can attract more birds and squirrels.

All that to say that work is work- no matter how much I love to paint (and I do), it's still a lot of work.  It's happy work, to be certain, and I wouldn't trade it for any other job.  But it seems that the more you love something, the harder and longer you work at it to make it perfect, you know?  It's completely exhausting and wonderful in the same moment.

The swan painting (above) is a little "teaser" of my larger body of oil paintings to be announced in just a few weeks.  Most of the watercolor work you've already seen, but the oil paintings will be a surprise!  I'm so looking forward to my October show at the gallery and to sharing these new works with you right here, on my blog.  Until then, happy working to you, my friend!