I’ve been meaning to photograph the beginning of my process as proof to me that things go through some ugly stages before they turn beautiful. Some pieces I’ve been working on I had thought of throwing away and they became my favorite. And I wish I had take a picture of it when I didnt like it so much.

Every project begins with a clean slate. Prepping the work surface and testing the first drops of pigment. I like keeping some reference materials close by.

Why do we do that? Take pictures of something when it’s in its final stage? Or when we are happy with it and ready to show it. There’s such beauty in that growing part of it.

Laying down the primary composition lanes using blue washes. I start with acrylic paint and sometimes I wash over some watercolors.

The awkward and the uncertain part. The part where I’m like “where is this going to go?”.
So today I said, I want to be a witness to my own process so I can prove to myself that things can always be tweaked and changed and sometimes need to get ugly before they can transform into something beautiful!

Adding depth through deep green and teal washes to create an organic, atmospheric feel.

Building up vertical texture layers, letting bright yellows ground the base of the piece.

Life often feels like a process, doesn’t it? We tend to rush through the difficult parts, eager to reach the enjoyable moments. We can’t wait for our kids to grow up, for renovations to be completed, or for our vegetables to be ready for harvest. We look forward to dinner being served and laundry being done, constantly hurrying through these stages. Yet, it’s important to remember that the process itself is what truly matters. That’s where the true beauty and magic can be found. These are the most important aspects to witness, allowing you to see how far you’ve come and how much you or something has grown.