Week 75

OK. This one is HUGE. The only other one we’ve done in this series this big was “Vigil”, a composition with a single figure and dark surroundings. This one includes three girls as they lean over a wooden bridge to gaze into the stream flowing through the tangle of forest.

The canvas towers over us as we begin. The flowing fabrics and sweet baby skin was first. The larger the surface, the more apt to bounce and move it is, and bounce it does. Then the first deep wave of nausea hits. The smells I love - of paint and linseed oil - begin to turn my tender tummy south. It’s been happening a lot. Every day in fact. Funny thing is that morning sickness strikes whatever part of the day it pleases. We are so excited. Although to some it may not seem long, the last two years of trying for baby #2 have been long. We are just now in week 9 and every evening I’ve been taken out by an extreme exhaustion and overwhelming nausea. Since we had finally gotten into the studio to paint, and I was really rolling - I didn’t want to stop. Around midnight we called time out and had to regroup to finish another night. *Spoiler alert* this one took us almost 6 hours!

Almost a week later (because I’ve been so darn sick) we were able to get in the studio to finish this painting. Painting the background in velatura with turpentine instead of oil allowed a fast dry time for my trees to lay on top. The runny colors created a fantastic display in the blurry distance.

I love the feel of the warm air waving in the Spanish moss while the sun trickled into the safe forest retreat. The innocents watch the ripples in the water, casting their wonder and wishes inside. Pure is this moment.

“Wishing Stream”

48 x 60 | Oil on Hardboard