Sometimes I struggle with a painting, but the struggle doesn’t happen on the canvas. It happens in my head. I try and try to fix something. There’s an urgency and I get frustrated. Sometimes I put the canvas aside after fighting with it. On another day, I pick it up again and the solution flows out effortlessly. Other times, I pave over the entire thing with paint. I use a big brush or a palette knife. In those cases, I guess I was just building up my texture.

There are colors in my paintings that you can’t see. Time at the easel is not wasted, even if I obliterate something I’ve worked on.

I’ve learned something.

The mistakes are still in there, as they are in life. They are part of the process, so be kind to yourself. Don’t expect to be perfect. Take time to assess the situation. Maybe the answer will come when you quit trying so hard.

There’s a song on my iPod that says All my mistakes have become masterpieces.

Everything will be fine in the end. If it’s not fine, then we’re not at the end yet.