In the Wee hours

I woke at 4 a.m., BOOM my brain turned on...I tried to go back to sleep, it wasn't happening. Why is it during the day all I want to do is nap, then at night when I should be sleeping, my brain goes into overdrive?

What was I thinking about you ask? You did ask right ;) Beyond the bills and the never ending list of household chores, I was thinking about painting. It's winter here in Upstate, it's cold, it's the "grey season". Grey and I don't get along very well, lol. I much prefer greys cousin yellow. So yesterday instead of painting my current grey world, I thumbed through some of my photo's from this past summer in hopes of finding some color. I painted a road scene for number 17 out of 30 in the thirty paintings in thirty day challenge. It's from a fun day roaming the country roads with my friend Sherry.

On the way home from a morning of painting in the Adirondacks, Sherry took me down her favorite road. I could see why it was her favorite. It was picturesque , painterly, perfection. I had attempted the scene before when it was current in my mind. I liked it then, hence why I revisited it on this winters day. Honestly, this time I was a bit disappointed with my results. It was grey, not enough value change. Has the grey season, that has changed my mood, seeped int my art?

So, back to 4a.m. and not being able to sleep. That is what I was thinking about. Why am I in this mood, how to snap out of it and what about this painting is so different from the one I did six months prior, when the sun was shining?

All of this probably sounds absolutely ridiculous to you all...but in the wee hours of the morning, it's very real for me ;) Let me show you:

Yesterday's

It's not bad, it has some nice things going on. But as I put my brush down I kinda went blah... Let me show you last summer's version.

The top is last summer, the bottom yesterday. See what I mean? grey. I do like the tree better in the newer painting and I think less of the road works for the composition, but I missed on value change. I think I will paint it again today. Third time's a charm right ;)

Stay tuned...for now I think I'll go back to bed. I have an hour and a half before the rest of my household wakes up. Maybe the sun will shine today, fingers crossed :)

"Paint your world, create some beauty and share the joy!" ~ Judy