Artist in Residence

Fire Within
Oil on Canvas
Experimenting with limited colour range: red, yellow and ochre using Winsor Newton Oil Bars

There is this internal struggle I have with creating. Well, actually, I have a bunch of struggles...but one thing at a time!
This time it's the gremlin voice that says it is self indulgent to paint what I want, as the spirit moves me. This voice insists that my art must have a purpose; a monetary value exchange, or else it is pointless. Worse, it is a drain on family resources.
So, I do things that will hopefully generate income, like use my artwork in licensing arrangements (like my shop at Zazzle, where some of my art, design and photography is printed on their products), focus on commissioned pieces, and my newest venture ~ creating silk scarf designs.

Thing is, these sorts of projects frustrate my Beloved. He sees them as distractions from my calling and goal: to paint and grow as an artist.

I'm really trying to get my head around this.

I've had an idea that might work. I will call myself - in my head (of course, now it's here too!) The Artist in Residence. Perhaps, it will change how I see myself and my role in our household (now that the kids are all young adults, Mommy isn't as big a role as it once was!)