'Nightbird'

Nightbird / 36x48 / acrylic on canvas

This was the demo I worked on last night and I was so grateful to share what I do with a fabulous group of people.  I spent four more hours this morning tweaking it and it now feels done to me...the title was a gift last night (thank you!) and I think it's perfect.

This piece is also another ode to Isaac Bignell.  His work was the first original art I saw while I growing up in the north and was saddened to hear that his life was cut short.  So much incredible talent, so much beautiful work.

A few of the things I was reminded of yesterday were terrific exercises to stretch our creative muscles that we practiced in college:

* work with your non-dominant hand
* create your image upside down
* use a limited or monochromatic palette
* work larger
* work smaller
* try a different subject matter
* try a different medium
* try a different ground

It's all about forcing our hands and eyes to work together and about pushing ourselves.  Sometimes the most magical things happen by accident.