I've made a commitment to myself and my art to fully delve into painting this year. I should say, visual art of all sorts, but specifically I want to take my painting to the next level. Since I made this commitment and started moving things in life to accommodate a lifestyle where my focus is on painting, my mind is flooded with ideas and concrete concepts and series. I decided that seeing an idea is not enough when I try to paint it but can't get it where I want in terms of technicality. So, every painting must really count this year. As I'm working on pieces now, if I can't get something to look the way I want I am studying techniques of the Old Masters, studying other artists to learn how to paint something at the level I want now instead of "waiting" for that technique to develop on its own. I'm already seeing my paintings jump to a new level, so I am excited to see how far I can push myself. Mostly I am focusing on oil painting which is my passion, but I am also exploring inks and acrylic. I have several series of works that I want to do in completely different styles. I will be keeping my blog updated with progress images and reports from my new studio.