So With The New Year Comes New Thoughts
Some of us may make resolutions .. But in my experience those only last so long before they get put back on the shelf. I always have lots of thoughts on what I want the new year to look like, both short and long term. It can be slightly overwhelming. Prior to Huxley and Hazel, and just about when we had finished with the carpets, I had the idea that I would like to get back to creating art. Or at least spending more time on it then I do now. The times in my life where I was actively creative were some of the more relaxed and happier times, and I keep asking myself why I would not want to get back to that place again.
But Where To Start ..
Being busy at work and with everyday life stuff weighs on me after a while. I think somewhere along the line, I became a bit depressed. I do not want to dive too deep into the specifics of why I feel the way I do, but I can tell you that I do not like it, and I realize I have to get back to a place where I felt good. Being creative takes work, but I think that is exactly where I need to be when I have some free time.
So to take the first step, I rearranged the dining room on the first day of the new year. I made some space for my homemade art station and easel, along with a few storage items. I think this space will give me separation from the TV, the computer, and other distractions, while still keeping me close to my wife, Hazel, and Huxley. Prior to this, the space I was using was a fourth unused bedroom on the second floor of our home.
We did not change the carpets in the dining room since we will eventually put a hard surface in there. So I am not worried at all about any painting accidents. Also, since it is just my wife and I, along with the dogs, we do not really use that side of the house, so there are no worries about my art stuff cluttering up a highly used space. I am pretty sure that any company we may have will not even realize I am set up there.
The one thing I was not looking forward to was moving our squatty cactus plant that was given to us by my late aunt. It is special to me, but it is also very heavy. You would not think it just by looking at it, but that thing is heavy. I ended up using a piece of plywood and six furniture slider discs to move it. It stuck me twice, once in the shoulder and once in the butt, lol.
Below you can see that I have the essentials set out and in place. I store my oil paints in those two antique green metal drawer units. Nothing really matches, but I like the mason jars and old metal drawers. Old things make me feel creative and add something unique to my space. Also (As I am sure 
After everything was in place, I went through a few piles of old art. I found several pieces that I had started and either lost interest in or never cared to finish. Like the oil painting of a Caribbean beach scene that is sitting on my easel now. It's just about finished and I do want to finish it, but getting all of the paint out for such a large project was keeping me from completing it. Maybe that is a good place to start, by finishing something that was left unfinished.
One of the pieces was a sketch of a Jeep Wrangler .. Similar to the one I own and that you may have seen me working on in other posts. It was sketched on thick watercolor paper, so obviously I was going to try another watercolor with maybe a bit of oil mixed in. I think I was going to paint the background as a sunset, sitting by the ocean, which is exactly where I can picture myself right now. Only just warmer, since the Jersey coast is far too cold at the moment.
One thing at a time though.
First, get back in touch with my creative side, then feeling less depressed, and after that, the beach. For now, the memories and a painting of the beach will have to do.
