Dream A Little Dream. 9 x 12″ on Canvas. (SOLD). More originals available here.

……

This was one of those paintings where I adored the background so much, I did not want to cover it up.

But I am never attached to a painting until I add my character. Without a character, it seems, I eventually paint over the mixed media abstract again and again. So, whenever I really love my background, I take photos of it to document my process (or sometimes I will scan it). That way, I can always recreate it.

When I am afraid to create, my paintings always move right into an ugly stage.

For this piece, I loved all of the paper and texture on the bottom of the background. So I knew that would be the body of my character.

But sometimes if I’m starting on a huge blank canvas (or canvas in general), I feel like I have to paint something good. And that completely stunts my creativity, making me freeze.

As I keep painting from that fear, my pieces are reserved instead of fluid. Sometimes I will put the piece aside and play in my sketchbook or on paper or cardboard to get myself feeling free again.

With this fox, he started as a new character. And once I reached the ugly stage, where I’d already ruined my background and ended up with a crazy character I didn’t like), I had to turn it around.

So I returned to my comfort zone and painted a fox.

What I love most about this fox, is that he has an owl wing. That was something I experimented with and kept from the ugly stage.

I had never even thought of painting a fox with an owl wing before. If it hadn’t been for that initial “ugly” stage that took trying and making mistakes, I never could have gotten to this new fox.

And that is how this painting got its name…

This painting is a reminder to dance and let out your light, knowing that anything is possible when you DREAM A LITTLE DREAM and share it with the world.

Happy Painting!

xo,

Ps. If you’ve been wanting to get creative, let go and play with paint, find details on all of my online classes here.

Happy Painting – A Mini Course is now available as a self-paced online class, so it’s the perfect place to start.