It’s been 18 days since I’ve painted anything. Being tossed from my daily routine and pushed into “at home isolation” is not great, it seems, for my creative side. I’ve always dreamt of being able to have every day to do nothing but paint. Hating the forced upon stopping points because the real work day beckoned. Oddly then it is, with all the time in the world, even picking up a brush has been a struggle. The many days of cold, cloudy, rain and storm filled dreariness aided the already anxiety driven days. Not working. Not being able to get to the gym. Not being outside. Not being much of anything. Almost like moving at all could collapse what little bit of regular life there was left. This sounds more dramatic than it probably was and millions upon millions more have real world struggles for sure. Still, when a huge part of your happiness in life feels to heavy to even contemplate, it is an interesting feeling. By no means depression, more introspective damnation. You say to yourself how can I paint to be happy at time filled with monumental unhappiness. The answer, don’t paint happy. Just paint. I don’t need to exhibit sun drenched landscapes of extraordinary beauty. Beaches filled with smiling sunbathers and cheerful gatherings at the local cafe’. I just need to paint. I’m am not a professional. I’m not a Rembrandt. I’m just a painter. A painter who loves and needs to paint. Painting. Oil on Wood 18x24 inches “Calming Isolation” . . #painting #isolation #art #artistsoninstagram #artist #artwork #artoftheday #artofinstagram #artgallery #artistic #wisconsinartist #madison #design #abstractart #abstractpainting #oilpainting #lifethroughart #art_collective #interiordesign #tinyhome #artonthewall #brodrickalexanderart #contemporaryart #modernart #modernartist #art_spotlight #art_lovers #abstractexpressionism #coronavid19 #livingmybestlife https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fGIqEjK_M/?igshid=1mypxr9f8fcke