I never know exactly what I am going to wind up with once a painting is done. Sometimes, it’s hard to know when to stop painting, and I have to trust my instincts. How many layers of paint is too much? When and how will the paint settle? Does the painting have the depth it needs?
You have to be willing to let abstract paintings reveal themselves, like carvers allow just work on releasing the image contained within the wood.
Once this painting was finished, I saw an alien head amid a hint of aspen trees. I wasn’t crazy about how it turned out, but a year later, I hung it in our living room. It looks great on the wall. Every color complements our blue and green mid-century modern decor. The white “alien hands” have softened into subtle accents that frame the teal background. It brings a contented feeling into any space - not so alien after all.