There’s something special about watching the development of an original artwork in progress. As an artist, a collector or an art lover, understanding the creative process can help your connection to the piece. This particular painting has been a slow burn—it has been living on my studio wall for about a month now, quietly asking me to return to it.

A Peek Behind the Scenes: The Art Studio Experience

What happens behind the scenes in the art studio is just as important as what ends up on the canvas. The textures, the brush marks, the layers—there’s a whole story developing before the artwork ever reaches completion. This painting started with a lot of underpainting texture, something I play with quite a bit. It was looking really good; that’s partly why I’ve been hesitant to move forward with it- maybe I should leave it as is?

From Creative Block to Movement

Every artist hits a wall. That moment of stillness before deciding on how I want to finish an original artwork in progress – will it work, will it fail?? Today, I decided to move. To engage again. It felt less like painting and more like reconnecting back to its brush marks..

Balancing Texture and Intuition

Texture in painting is an important part of my painting practice. It’s not just a visual element; it’s a kind of history embedded in the work. The challenge with original pieces like this is knowing when to step back and when to push forward. For a while, I let fear guide me—fear of losing the rawness of a new painting, fear of ruining something that feels right in its current state.

Not Finished, But Closer

Is it finished yet? Not quite. But it’s finally moving in the right direction. It’s breathing on my studio wall before I apply its finishing marks.