“Freestyle”, as I call it – is becoming my favorite method of painting.

If I have a block of time available, I surf images on the net, or check through my “Future Paint” file, which contains lots of photos of people, textures, scenery that have caught my eye in one way or another. (Some friends have been approached to see if they will allow me to paint a photo I have seen on their Facebook page.)

Once a certain photo appears that initiates the first bubbles (yes, bubbles is the way to describe it – a growing excitement when an inspiration comes on), I grab a canvas and start mixing colors on the palette. There is no pre-planning involved.

This particular painting is called Lady in Waiting, afterwards dedicated in honor of my own mother who waits in a nursing home for my weekly visit. The inspiration began with a black and white photo that I found on the internet of an elderly woman. (See photo).

My preference is to paint from photos that belong to people I know, or photos that have special meaning (eg: the way they came across my desk, etc.), but hey – if I find a free image on the internet that inspires me, I’ll use it! If a photo is from someone’s website, I will usually ask permission and show them the results.

Back to freestyle…. It’s all a matter of no pre-planning, and following instinct. It’s enjoyable and relaxing to see where my brushes will take me. There is no sketching involved, only blocks of color and shape with a large brush, as you can see in the photo of the first session. The canvas has to be completely filled in with color before I do any detail. I play with color, lights and darks for a while until the painting tells me it’s done.