A great big sign at the entrance of the driveway may accurately read: PROCEED WITH CAUTION WORK LIFE IN PROGRESS. Not that this is a bad thing. The alternative is much less appealing.
It is just means that the question usually asked about how are things going will be answered by – “Oh, round and round!”
Or – “Busier than a painter with three brushes in her hand.”
Neither of which tell us much at all.
So a better question might be – “Terrill can you tell us one thing that pleases you today?”
Yes I can. I have a new painting roughed in on the easel that I am going to muse about while I drink my morning coffee. Let me show you….
The canvas is 12 x 24 inches and started with a yellow ground and a few marks to guide the scale of the composition.
The spring morning sky brightens all in its path including the green firs on the hill across the way. Song birds sing, grass grows and an eagle cries somewhere in the distance across Active Pass.
First leaves are soft and translucent in the warm light as the blues of sea catch my breath and swing it skyward and back again. How many mornings has the Springwater Lodge, the oldest continuously operating hotel in British Columbia, seen like this one?
There is the scent of fresh coffee filling the loft with a hint of linseed oil underneath. I decide to leave the studio lamps off for just a little longer. But I will sort out the angles of lines, the relationships between objects and the spaces in between later today – one brushstroke at a time.
Update: Now as the end of the day nears and the work has come to “resting” all shiny and wet on the canvas…
Early Spring Morning at Miners Bay “resting” 12 x 24 inch oil on canvas
How about you? Can you tell us one thing that pleases you today?
Note: “The Beauty of Oils Class of 2017 Art Show” was a wonderful success. All the pieces are falling into place for the Art! Vancouver Fair at the end of May and the background material for advertising has been sent in for the six week solo show opening June 30th 3-5 pm in the afternoon. Next will be a focus on getting the last of the edges painted on the selected work for the solo show.
© 2017 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.
Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.
Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch
From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com
Creative Potager 
Lovely write up Terrill and I really enjoyed seeing the stages of that gorgeous painting. To answer your question – I start each day before getting out of bed, listing out loud, 10 things I am grateful for.
One thing that really pleases me today is still feeling the wonderful calm from a 90 minute body massage yesterday. Been way too long since a massage. 😊
Oh, a massage sounds heavenly Katherine. My muscles can feel your satisfaction just in the telling. So glad you took the opportunity for such important self care.
Thank you Terrill. When I was all settled on the table and the therapist began, she quietly said, “Your body is grateful you are taking this time for self care, self repair.”
I often use the words “self care” and “self repair” seemed new to me. I love it! I am going to do more self repair and oil painting is one of the best ways I can do so. 😊
I like that as well “self repair” hum…. it has a nice visual to it Katherine. Yes, painting is definitely one of my own “self repair” practices – for me, the painting language is a place where expression needs to words or justification. Enjoy your oil painting time!
Terrill — “First leaves are soft and translucent in the warm light as the blues of sea catch my breath and swing it skyward and back again.”
I love how you paint word pictures as much as I love how you paint canvas!
One of the things that pleases me today is that my most recent speaking engagement (last night) is in the rearview mirror. It went extremely well, but I’m not a fan of the “nerves” that come with it.
Oh I am with you there Laurie! Definitely can relate to that “rearview mirror” pleasure following a speaking engagement. Congratulations! I have signed up for a runway walk with one of my paintings at the Art Fair on opening night. I will definitely be glad to have this behind me even if it is a highly recommended idea for exposure.