I've written many times that I believe work comes form work. Being in the studio on a regular basis fosters a discipline; a true practice. I work in series mostly, but I am never afraid to follow the work wherever it leads, even if that takes me off my current focus.
Because I build most of my canvases and stretcher frames, production of new work comes in fits and starts. The Winter kept me out of the studio, but now that the warmer weather is here I am getting back into the groove. I laid down paint on a big piece today, one example of following the work. I was working on the Stations series and an image caught my eye. I made some sketches and knew it had to be black and white and knew it wasn't part of the current series.
That's the way it is for me; ideas have to survive and endure. If I experience something that I think most people would call inspiration, I initially ignore it. An idea must persist. It must keep me awake at night, be waiting for me in the morning and not let me go. My paintings take months because I don't paint everything I think of or envision. Many fall by the wayside and never get past an idea.
When such an ideas survives, I become very quiet about it. Often that's how I know it is a powerful painting; if I've kept it close to the vest during process.
Mystery of Light at Lyons Wier
Soul String, James Austin Murray,
2014, Oil on shaped canvas
69 x 72 in / 175.3 x 182.9 cm
photo via Lyons Wier Gallery
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