Surprise! Surprise!

I'm back from that deep, dark place that artists fall into when they get stuck in self-doubt, questions about their work, their thoughts, their processes and the art world in general.   That quick-sand-like place of dark depths that holds you as its prisoner, refusing to allow you any type of self-expression, swimming in black molasses.

I think I've finally surfaced. 

To wash all the sticky molasses from my limbs and to rinse away the same heavy goo from my thoughts, I've picked up a painting I started last year. 

It's acrylic.  11" x 14".  Last year, I'd applied heavy modelling paste for texture, then black gesso over that.  From then on, I'd fingerpainted in the background, the pads and the shadows under the pads.  (My earliest memories of making any kind of art are of fingerpainting!  I adored fingerpainting as a child.)  Then it was set aside. 

A few days ago, I brought it back up onto my painting table and started playing in it.  Rather than get discouraged with this type of fingerpainting, I finally picked up some brushes and used brushes for the highlights, more shadows, etc. 

Since this is more of a tribute to Monet than my own work, I'm thinking of collaging some large letters of M-O-N-E-T in the bottom right area.  Perhaps about two inches high....

I wasn't going to post this until it was finished but am tired of looking at my OLD blogger wall.  So, here it is ...............

PS - A few years ago, I was at an online demo by Allen Montague for fingerpainting!  Watch the fast demo below to get a hint of his work....