I’m in the middle of my annual Christmas season painting slump. I don’t like that this happens every year, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to avoid it. 

There’s a multitude of reasons behind it, really. It’s colder, which makes my basement studio colder (brr!) and my paint dry slower. My studio is also a disaster (shocking, I know) because it’s the only place in the house I can hide presents from ALL of my family members. I also don’t miss painting as much, because I’m feeling creatively fulfilled by hand making presents. Being sick doesn’t help either. 

But with a single email I suddenly have greater motivation to paint more:  

 
As it turns out, I’m practically out of stock. 13 paintings sold, just like that. It’s pretty encouraging, to say the least, considering I hadn’t sold a single work from that series AT ALL before then. I had almost decided to give up  painting on birch. 

My studio is still a disaster. I’m still sick. But as soon as I get the chance I’ll be cleaning up, stocking up on birch panels, and stretching some canvas. 

It’s time to get down to work. 

You can still see these 13 SOLD paintings until January 3rd as part of Mighty Chroma! in the Naess Gallery at The Paint Spot in Edmonton