This is my first week of getting back into painting. While my son is in preschool (and daughters are in grade school), I paint. I bring all my stuff to the school and paint in the parent room. Sometimes I end up talking to other parents, sometimes I just read, but mostly I paint. I like to think of myself as the artist-in-residence at our school. Quite an official sounding title, isn’t it?

This painting here is from last school year’s batch. I usually mask out areas, then paint with watercolour, and add the pen work last. That’s the hardest part, for sure. I want to use my own words, but I don’t consider myself a “good writer”, and I am unsure if my words will appeal to others, so I tend to use quotations that resonate for me. I’m starting to grow into the idea of using my own words now, to keep the art more my own (does that make sense? See?! Sometimes I don’t know how to put into words what I’m trying to say!!).

I have had some really great compliments these past two days. One was about me as an artist, and one about me as a friend. The last one was really touching – my friend told me she was thinking about me in the car, about “how cool” I am. Just the fact that she was thinking about me was so wonderful to hear.