Everything Thought Begins With A Feeling

​"Everything Thought Begins With a Feeling" - acrylic on wood panel, 24" x 18".  Available here and at Artfinder.

Painting is an intellectual endeavor, but it enters us on the animal level, through the pores.  Everything thought begins with a feeling.  Let us feel something first. - BRIAN RUTENBERG, ​A Little Long Time

l am rolling around in the Rutenberg book like a dog in a cow pasture.  Covered in....well, paint.  Which really helps with the social distancing.  Which is also a boon to artists, who roll around in solitude like...well, you see the theme here. :)  There is a big ol' silver lining to putting the brakes on "normal" daily life. 

Everything Thought Begins With A Feeling

Here in Portland (malarkey headquarters), we're feeling the sun on our faces as spring explodes all around us.  We're feeling the warmth of community as our little neighborhood becomes a haven of dog walking smiling people who have slowed down their lives.  We're feeling the glow of good citizens patronizing the local businesses at a safe distance (online and walk-up carry-out) and the occasional patron who leaves a $1000 tip to help keep the doors open (yep, that happened right here in the friendly PNW).  The thoughts created by these feelings are pretty darn good, and a perfect healing balm of hope.   

​Which, when mixed with paint, creates a lovely glazing material.  Just sayin'.

---

About the painting:  Beginning with a grayscale underpainting with a lighter horizon and darker "saddle", adding progressively heavier layers of color.  Primary tools used include the esteemed rubber wedge and a palette knife, with a smidgeon of paper towel and dry brush.  Chopsticks used liberally throughout.