Here is my most recent pastel painting. This is a small 5" x 7" painting I did on a piece of masonite. It is a plein aire painting, meaning I painted it out at this actual location and not in my studio from reference material.

Is this the most powerful painting I will ever complete? No. But, you know what...? It doesn't have to be. For us artists, painting can bring on many different emotions. Happiness, calmness, frustration, satisfaction, even disappointment. We all set out to create the best art we can, but we can't lose sight of what strikes a chord within us. I feel it is important that sometimes we allow ourselves to focus more on the experience than the actual painting.

That's what I did  in here. Am I happy with it? Yeah. However, what gave me the most reward was that I was able to sit back, feel the ocean breeze, listen to the water, and feel the sun on my skin while letting my hands work across the board. It was more about all the sensations I was experiencing than the end result. Some pieces end up being more for the artist than anyone else. Hopefully this, at least in part, put you in the same place that I got to enjoy!