Among the Grasses, 30"x30," Oil on panel, ©Lynn Goldstein, more info here​​

Sometimes a painting is completed in what feels like minutes. The art seems to simply drip off my brushes almost fully formed. When this happens I feel as if I have been handed a gift from the gods. More often,  a painting takes bloody forever, which makes me wonder how I ever thought that I could do this thing called art-making. The piece may sit for days, weeks, and months before I bring it to the finish line. 

The painting above is an example of a painting that took forever, and went through many iterations. Check out the way it used to look before I altered it below. 

What does this have to do with advice from Smokey Robinson? Read on....

My love of music led me to a  terrific book entitled, Smokey Robinson: Grateful and Blessed, narrated by the great songwriter himself. What joyful listening! I highly recommend it. 

I was riveted hearing Mr. Robinson discuss his creative process, and was particularly interested when he said that it took five years to come up with the lyrics for Cruisin,' while it took five minutes to write the words to Shop Around. Hearing this, I realized that if someone as creative and impressive as Smokey Robinson can take his time writing the words to a song, then, by golly, I will simply embrace the time that it takes for me to complete a painting no matter how long  the process lasts! 

So, the advice I received from Smokey Robinson? He didn't say this, but I am going to extrapolate from his experience to relax into the process and enjoy the ride. Hope this helps you if you are a fellow artist.  If you are not an artist, I hope what I have written helps you to understand part of the creative process. 

Lately, I have been experimenting in my work. I have been using acrylic, working on abstracts, and making lots of mistakes. Mistakes are a great way to learn. I am not making any negative faces anymore either, and I am continuing to keep on dancing. Well, at least my brushes are dancing.... 

So, if you are also making mistakes, simply keep on dancing! You will learn a lot, you will grow, and the audience will never know.

Do you have any great words of wisdom from an inspirational teacher? Would you be willing to share? I would love to read them in the comments below. ​

Isn't it difficult to sell your art after working so hard on it? 

This is a question that I have been asked so many times over the years, and my answer is always the same. I am happy to sell a painting because my mission in life is to uplift others, and sharing my work can do just that.  

However, something occurred that challenged my usual response to the question recently. 

I got a notification in my email inbox that one of my paintings had sold. After the initial thrill, I realized which piece it was. For the first time that I can remember, I exclaimed out loud (with no one in the room), "Oh NO!"  Clearly, I didn't know that I was more attached to this particular painting than I had thought. 

But the universe had a better plan for that painting than for me to hold on to it. A fact that became abundantly clear the following day when I received another email. ​See below:

The email came from the buyer of the painting in question and it brought tears to my eyes. I am sharing a shortened version of her email here (in red):

I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last fall and have been undergoing chemotherapy since then. When I was first diagnosed, I went around my house pulling pictures off the wall that no longer inspired me (it was like some sort of obsessive 'nesting' thing). And I went into the attic and brought down pieces I had acquired early on and other ones with lots of color. And that was about the time I got your first piece as I found the vibrancy and colors to be just what I needed. I wanted to be surrounded by old friends, energy, and beauty. 
 
The night before last had been a bit rough, and when I saw your painting it just lifted my spirits. It was perfect timing. 

 Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your work and that you never know how much of an impact it can have....

I can't say how grateful I am that this painting is where it truly needs to be. Art can heal, and we are all enriched to have art in our lives. 

Do you have a story about how art has enhanced your life? I would love to hear from you in the comments below. 

​

Guess what? I just found out that I’ve been accepted into the Washington Society of Landscape Painters (WSLP). Getting an acceptance into this group has been a goal of mine for years. Yay! Yay! Yay!

This is a big deal.

Why? 

​Read on....

• Validation is always a wonderful thing. Washington Society of Landscape Painters is definitely a select group that is limited to only 40 members. To get accepted couldn't make me happier. 
• Washington Society of Landscape Painters is an organization I have been watching for over ten years.
• The members are accomplished landscape painters who consistently produce stunning works of art. 
• As a member, I will participate in plein air painting excursions, which are always good for my art practice.
• The group provides exhibition opportunities that will increase the visibility of my art alongside exemplary painters.  
• I had considered applying for membership for a long time, but I knew that the process was arduous. First, I needed to secure a sponsor (many thanks to Trisha Adams). I was also required to  join the group for plein air painting excursions. Finally, my work needed to be reviewed and accepted by their governing board in order to be accepted.

I own an embarrassing amount of art books. They take up space all over my house, in my studio outside my home, and I love them. 

However, I have some all-time faves. These are the books that always seem to find their way into my hands. They move from my studio outside my home, back to my home with regularity, and from room-to-room frequently.  To find out what they are, and why I consider them some of the best out there, check out this video.