It takes several visits to the studio and several visits to the piece of artwork for me to figure this out. The blank white canvas or board has to go and go quickly. The music is on the acrylic paint is out of the tube and I’m away. The first part is always fun, I know the first layer of acrylic paint won’t be that important. Then comes the middle messy bit when there are bits of the painting I like and bits I don’t. Sometimes the painting takes off in a whole different direction at this stage. It can be fun, it can get messy and then it can turn into sometime I fall in love with. Making decisions along the way is the challenging part of making artwork. And finishing a painting is the hardest part of all. Am I done? Does it need something? Is it balanced? Is it just a mess or is it something beautiful. I’ve just completed four acrylic paintings, 8” x 8” canvas squares, that I have had to put aside. I’m too close to them to be objective. They all went through the process of art making I just spoke about. I’ll know if they are finished soon. In the meantime I’ll start something new and go through it all again. Yes, it’s a mess until it becomes my unique piece of art.