MOVING TO SANTA FE

My wife Lisa came home from an extended stay in Aldea just outside of Santa fe and announced that she no longer wanted to live in Denver, where she had lived her whole life.

I had lived in Santa fe 30 years before ( it is where we met), and we had visited many times over the years, so the idea of moving there was not outrageous to consider.

I just said, " Lets go!"

Of course, it meant leaving old friends, my business, and our cool 1950s mid century modern home that we loved, but, I had to agree with her, it seemed time for a change.

Denver was growing too big, too crowded, and too congested.

In a couple months we had sold the house, bought a place in Aldea, and moved.

After a few months settling in, a time where I did no Art to speak of, I have started making Art again. But it was different here, and I wasn't at all sure how I would fit in.

Or, if I would fit in. I am still not sure, but I continue to work at it.

I am back to painting 5 or 6 hours a day.

But I am having a different take on it.

Santa fe is the third largest Art market in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles.

The competition here is intense, and the Artists can be extremely good. Its not unusual to see paintings at Galleries priced at $30,000 and much more.

Needless to say, I am feeling a bit aware of my status here, and that is ground zero.

So, I decided just to paint. No expectations, no idea of selling, and see where it would go.

It is surprisingly enjoyable.

It is ok to do whatever I want to do. If I push something beyond the point of no return,

I either fix it, toss it or paint over it, no judgement. Just start a new one.

The idea of not selling is not so crazy, when there is no seeming outlet to do so,at least that you can see.

Of course it would be great to reach a point where I can sell my paintings, and maybe that will happen. I am not holding my breath though.

It occurred to me, during the dry spell after the move, that perhaps I had reached my personal zenith in Denver after moving to our Mid Mod house, and having an actual studio.

You do crest at some point, though perhaps its premature to think that I have plateaued at the moment.

For now, I will pick up the brush and do something each day, and see where it goes.

Its not a bad way to roll!