Ego & Empty Nest

Habitat - Oil on Panel - 12" x 16"

Dear Linda, "Congratulations! Your painting, "HABITAT", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the January 2013 BoldBrush Painting competition." My email message from an online art competition, Hey I need my ego boost too... :-)

I just returned a little over a week ago from settling my daughters into college after having a full and exciting summer with my family.  I came back full of ideas, eager to get back into the studio and paint up a storm, as well as loosing a few extra pounds on a new self imposed diet and exercise program. I couldn't wait to return to the solitary confines of my studio but I couldn't make a start. By day three I decided to begin a self portrait which ironically captured my mood, it's like I had forgotten how to paint!
This is common after a break from the studio but what I realized after this week was I am suffering from having an 'almost' empty nest at home.  It has made my painting Habitat even more relevant!