Looking back; Looking ahead

This small watercolor painting , done in 1969, isn't much larger than what you see pictured here. The boy was a student in a class of mine. I painted it in the early days of my experience with watercolor, and I like it as much as many recent paintings of mine. It seems I was able, at that time, to capture alot with simple means. I probably painted it with a kids paintbox on a school quality watercolor paper.

Now I've completed the 3 Southwest paintings I started out to paint during the recent episode with my failed trip to Taos NM. Where to now? What's next? There are other images from that area that I long to paint yet. Perhaps I'll continue it that vein of thought.

I have a figure I painted in a portrait session a few weeks ago, maybe I'll see how I would like to complete it. It looks worthy of my attention. There's also a figure I drew that suggests a way to pair it with still life elements. Haven't done that before. Kind of excited to explore the concept. In watercolor? In acrylics? Or return to gouache, which I haven't touched in years! Maybe paint on illustration board or watercolor board. I know I'm not ready to return to the large painting I was dealing with a couple of months ago pertaining to Temple Shir Shalom's move into their own building, and their walk with the Torahs to their new home as a congregation. I'm working on that one subconsciously, rethinking the composition, reformulating the way I want to tell the story.

I know that I am waiting to see where my heart lies right now. Kind of like a divining rod, I'm waiting for a signal that I'll strike riches when I follow one path or another.  Only the next several days will tell, and then I'll go to work!