Small time blocks - Big progress

I’m so grateful that creating big, beautiful paintings doesn’t require big, uninterrupted blocks of time. I’m living proof: you can build a meaningful body of work (for me, that’s usually 40+ paintings a year) simply by painting a little more often than not.

Last week, I shared a quick video where I loosely sketched a new concept onto a canvas with a chunky graphite pencil. If you missed it, you can watch it here! In the first photo below, you’ll notice I started on a canvas that already had some blue and green from a previous idea. That original concept didn’t stick, but when this new inspiration struck, I grabbed what I had and jumped right in. The underpainting didn’t matter much since most of it will be covered along the way.

Yesterday, I began blocking in color, shapes, and values (2nd photo). From here, I’ll keep painting in short sessions—about an hour at a time—until it’s finished. Sometimes I’ll rotate between different paintings instead of staying on one piece start to finish, and that’s perfectly fine. Working a little almost every day keeps the momentum alive and makes it easier to slip back into flow.

The heart of what I want to share is this: you don’t need endless hours to live a creative life or to make something beautiful. Small, consistent steps can add up to something extraordinary.