Thanks to all who left comments regarding different grades of Winton oils (Windsor) and for the tips about M. Graham Walnut oils, which are walnut oil-based, rather than linseed oil-based. I enjoyed visiting your sites and viewing your profiles and artwork.

As a beginner, must ask this question. Does the struggling ever end?

Sometimes I have been "in the zone" at the easel, but mostly it is a struggle to try to convey what is in front of me or in my mind. Have taken some classes, a workshop, and will attend another workshop in May. Part of my studio's mission statement is "keep it fun," which I do, but ...

When did the struggling stop for you? When did you look at a scene, a person, an animal, a picture in you mind and nail it and then nail it again?

Art seems to be like golf. You only 'compete' against yourself. (Was looking for another word for compete, but couldn't think of one.)

Thank goodness canvas is tough. Mine take a fair amount of abuse from painting, scraping off, re-painting, and sometimes sanding, gessoing and starting over.

Joan T.

Can't believe it took me so long to join this site where artists talk to artists. Hello out there!

It took about a 30 year lag for me to pick up the pencils and brushes again and I'm ever so glad I did.

Because of art scuttlebutt, one of my paintings "Geranium Alley" has found a wonderful home with a friend in Texas.

I would love to do daily paintings and my hat is off to those of you with that discipline. I work full-time and try to get up at 5 a.m. two mornings a week to paint for about 45 mins. (the length of Enya's The Memory of Trees CD). The last 15 mins. are spent cleaning brushes.

For oils, I use Grumbacher's Pre-Tested oils (the ones with the checkmark on them). My most favorite brush brand is Silver.

You may already know this tip, but if you can put your pallette from your last session into a big baggie (2 gal.) and put it in the freezer, your paint lasts a lot longer. I tried Winton & Newton oils, but they seem to have more fillers and get a skim on them and dry out faster. Have fallen in LOVE with Grumbachers's diazonine (sp?) purple. More on that later.

JT