Last Saturday night (May 29) I did a new small painting. I did the sketch for it a month ago and finally painted it. I’ve been pretty busy with freelance work so I can’t complain too much. But it was nice to paint for a change.

This painting was somewhat difficult since I am a little bit out of practice.

It’s a simple composition with a good amount of symmetry, and I think there’s something calm about it, with the balance between elements, the wall and the parts of the wall, the shadows and the sidewalk, and whatever that box thing is.

The thing is, as I got into the painting, I began to struggle with some choices and questions: How abstract or realistic do I want to make this? How flat or deep do I want to make it? What kind of brushwork? In essence, what kind of stylistic approach do I want to take in my art from this point on?

Which I suppose is the whole point of doing these little paintings: to help me find my style and figure out what and how I want to paint. The only way I can find my voice is by using it. More on that later…