deadlines

"At Rest" - 3" x 3" - very simple study of
wave action and evening light in
pinks and blues. And for not being a boat
person, I think the boat reads well.

I remember in middle school we were put through a series of interest tests - like career aptitude stuff, and many of the questions would get into the basics of working conditions, like whether you were happier working outside even if it meant being in cold weather, or if clean, office-y conditions were preferable even if it meant being stuck inside all day. I remember there were a bunch of questions regarding work pressure - like your ability to work in groups, or a preference for working alone, or working under a deadline. And I remember at the time thinking that that word, DEADLINE, just seemed dreadful. I obviously had no idea how to translate "deadline" into what it would mean in a working environment - I thought it meant that if you did not get your work done by the "deadline", then punishment (and as a twelve-year-old I assumed corporal punishment or general humiliation) would follow - and it seemed like a working condition definitely to be avoided. I also remember that most of the art based jobs, like anything in the creative field: fashion design, graphic artist, illustrator etc, seemed to be linked to the concept of deadlines. I remember thinking very clearly that even tho I loved being creative - because of this whole "deadline" thing, a real career in the creative fields probably wouldn't be for me.

"Ghostly" - 5" x 5" - the gray/green foggy color was achieved
by mixing Cerulean Blue and Yellow Ochre. 

Just slightly later in my development years, "deadlines" were more clearly explained to me, thank goodness, by some helpful guidance person. And NOW of course, I am painfully aware that without deadlines, NOTHING in my entire life would EVER get done. I am completely deadline driven. For instance, all winter long (also known as painting season) I have been telling myself that I gotta get some ocean scenes painted - I am going to be on the coast five different times this summer: twice in Bar Harbor, twice in Southwest Harbor, and in Belfast. It doesn't take a marketing degree to know that ocean scenes sell on the coast... so: "get 'r done!"  - but... when is the "deadline?"  :)

"Ocean Sunset" 3" x 3"- a quick study of
a classic view on Route 3 in Bar Harbor.

"Ocean Cliffs" - 3" x 3" - a familiar
scene near Sand Beach, 

Sooo... as I write this I am in a motel in Bar Harbor with the alarm set for 5:45 a.m. so I can get set up for my first show of the year. About about twelve days ago I set up six coastal paintings. Yesterday I finished and found frames for four of them. They are safely tucked into my transport boxes and ready to hang  - how's that for meeting the deadline?