How long ?

A question I am frequently asked is “how long does it take you to do a painting”.

To answer that, firstly, it depends on a number of factors. The subject matter, the size of the canvas and to what degree I am inspired to paint whatever it is I am painting.

Truthfully, it takes years. By this I mean it has taken years to reach the point in which I can execute a painting in a relatively short space of time.

It has taken years of effort to quieten my soul, keep my intentions clear and respect each brushstroke of each painting.

After a great deal of practice I no longer need to think about all the necessary movements I must make, they have become part of my existence.

A blacksmith working steel looks to the untrained eye as if he is merely repeating the same hammer blow, but anyone trained in an art will know that every time the blacksmith lifts the hammer and brings it down, the intensity of the blow is different. The hand repeats the same gesture but as it approaches the metal it understands that it must touch it with more or less force..

The moment comes when you no longer need to think about what you are doing. You become the brush, the paint, the canvas, the art.