Forgot how Much Fun Oil Painting is

I used to paint in oils.  But then I had kids and felt that it was too messy, too smelly, too toxic to have around while the boys were young.  Watercolor became my dominant medium as it was none of the above and I could create small pieces in the short snippets of time I had available. 

I hadn't painted an oil painting since 1997, but decided NOW was the time to try it again, so I ordered an easel since I no longer had one, opened up my oil paint box (ok, the paints are a little old, but they still work), and started painting a scene from the woods around my house.  Today I worked on getting some movement and more value contrast in.  Each time I work on it, I'm rediscovering what a joy it is to see the painting come together, as I add each layer.  

I had forgotten how much I used to enjoy it as I messed around with it during my high school and college years and even into my early 20s.  I had forgotten how hard it is to stop once things start rolling with the painting. 

And just like reading and understanding a particular book at different stages of one's life, I'm bringing a different perspective to my oil painting, as the older me sees and comprehends various artistic elements much differently than the younger me had.

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