Every painting reaches a point where the approach that got it started is no longer enough to finish it. In this post, I share why I switch from acrylics to oils halfway through the process, what that transition teaches me about creativity, and why some of the most important transformations happen when we're willing to slow down and try something different.

I currently have eight paintings in progress. Some are waiting for paint to dry. Some are ready for oils. One is still being difficult. At this point, the challenge isn't really painting. It's keeping track of all the ideas, decisions, and possibilities at the same time.

Not every painting begins with a detailed plan. Sometimes it starts with fragments. Colors, textures, atmosphere, scattered images collected into more of a mood board than a true reference. This post explores the difference between a source and a painting, and why the final piece often becomes something far more layered, alive, and unexpected than the original idea.

Every painting has an ugly stage. This one hit hard when a foreground I loved digitally completely collapsed on the canvas, forcing me to wipe sections back and rethink the entire direction of the piece. Day 10 explores the tension between intuition and technical skill, the moments when paintings stop cooperating, and why learning to trust the process matters long before the final layers glow.

This post takes you into the beginning stages of a new collection in progress. The first layers are always uncertain, built through materials, intuition, and response to what’s showing up on the canvas. It’s the part of the process most people don’t usually see.