The return of Blogspot?

        After a decade of social media this place feels like a nice quiet retreat, with a window looking into the past.  I may be moving back in and renovating this old home.  Starting with this oil painting study I did on masonite back in late 2022.  My son was born earlier that year, and I soon found myself in a 6 month unemployment stint thanks to some decisions made during Covid that didn't pan out the way I had hoped.  

        Doing my best to keep busy while facing the grim reality of a bleak job market, I started dabbling with oils, as I had always had an interest but only rarely cracked them open.  I began painting these daily, and it helped me get through an uneasy time.  It was fun to splash some paint around and really dig in and learn how oils work.  After painting roughly 20 of these little boards, most of them total failures, I started to see some results.  

        The painting below was one I was quite proud of, as a few things had finally clicked on it.  I was starting to play with blending and brushstrokes to create some interesting texture and lighting, and felt that this one was quite successful.  

        I found a job not too long after, and my free time seemed to quickly vanish, as life has a way of sweeping you along the current.  Regretfully, the oil painting stopped, and I look back on the collection vowing to return to the easel soon.  Hopefully, while still employed.

Oil on masonite, 5x7".