The Surface of my Work

I am often asked how long it takes me to create a piece of art. I rarely have a good answer to that question, primarily for two reasons. The first is that different artworks take significantly different amounts of time to complete. The second, and probably most relevant reason, is that my process tends to unfold over time. I almost never complete an artwork in one sitting.

I tend to work in stages and visit revisit each piece numerous times too many times to count. I often have multiple pieces being hatched simultaneously and enjoy the ability to move from one piece to another. My sense is that this process allows me to avoid artist block.

I find that when I step away from what I am working on and come back later, I see the work with a fresh perspective and new eyes. At that point, the pieces speak to me, and I feel ready to move forward.

The first four pictures in this post represent backgrounds of works in progress that I will continue to work on. Sometimes this process unfolds over the course of days but usually it is a matter of weeks.

Occasionally, I revisit a work from prior years and know that there is more to do in the present. For example, the following piece was created in a workshop I took well over a year ago taught by Finnabair.